Dead Disco

[Donjames911]

HELP! Went to visit a neighbor, and parked in his driveway facing slightly downhill. The emergency brake wouldn't set, so I just left it in park and turned of the engine, slowly letting off the brake so the transmission would engage in Park.

Later, when I tried to start the vehicle, I had zero power, no electrical power whatsoever, not even emergency flashers. Further, the transmission was locked in Park, no amount of tugging could move the shift lever

Anyone experienced this before?

 

[Disco Mike]

Sounds like you have a dead battery, unrelated to your e-brake or anything else.
Go get it charged/checked and then re-install it,
I would then go to a local parts store and have the charging system checked, should be between 13.6 and 14.4 volts.
Let us know what you find.

 

[Donjames911]

Mike,

Thanks for the quick response. You are a retired Service Manager, I am a retired Engineer. I just don't see how the battery could start the car, drive on the alternator for less than a mile, then totally fail. I would expect to have some response from the battery, i.e. dim interior lights, starter motor 'clicking', weak emergency flashers. But the car is totally dead.

And a dead battery does not explain why I can't get the tranny outta Park. I'm a shade-tree mechanic. I have rebuilt 2 VWs and a Porsche 911S as my most recent endeavors, The Disco is my current project. I just like working on cars. And I don't need to take the car to a dealer to check alternator output, I can, and have, done that myself, including checking the diodes.

I would appreciate any further insight you might have re this issue.

 

[greg409]

The gearshift is electrically unlocked by solenoid, normally, when you push the brake, you'll hear the solenoid release in the console.

No power = no solenoid release.

Might be corroded batt terminals, or blew the 100a fuse behind the batt.

I agree, odd that you have nothing

luck,greg

 

[Spencer]

Mike, I just don't see how the battery could start the car, drive on the alternator for less than a mile, then totally fail. I would expect to have some response from the battery, i.e. dim interior lights, starter motor 'clicking', weak emergency flashers. But the car is totally dead.

And a dead battery does not explain why I can't get the tranny outta Park. I'm a shade-tree mechanic.

Ok, you cannot shift out of park with a dead battery, which is the first thing I thought. Dead battery or bad connection.

Batteries are quirky little things.. First step is to get a friggen volt meter on the thing to see if it is or ISN'T the battery. If the battery has 12v then check and clean the cables.

Trust me I had a bad cable before. Everything looked perfect. Then after replacing the starter twice, I went to clean the terminal and it snapped off.

 

[Philly1time]

Check your batt. The ECU needs 13.6 minimum to run the car. With Rovers you dont get partial or dim power, its all or nothing. The brake lock is electronic. Also your back brakes are probably low if your e brake isnt working.

 

[Donjames911]

Thanks everyone. My tired old engineer's brain is dwarfed by your worldly knowledge.

 

[greg409]

He doth protest too much.

luck,greg