Battery terminals wrong way round at ATS

Gio

Well-Known Forum User
Just a watchout warning, the listing for the 300ZX in the FIAMM book used by ATS is wrong. I suspect that this is because they only list one 300ZX from 1980-something onward which I would have thought was the Z31?

The terminals are the wrong way round (i.e. +ve to the right and -ve to the left). I find this out after a taxi ride to the wrong side of Slough (is there a right side?).

I get home in the fading light and plip the remote. Which now only sets off the siren because there isn't enough power left in the main battery to unlock the doors.

tsk

Manually unlock the door and thank buddha that bit works.

Pop the bonnet and compare old and new batteries. Curses - the terminals are the wrong way round. Futilely fiddle with wires just to see if they could stretch to the wrong battery terminals. Nope. Phone ATS. Hmm - they say - let me furkle around in the batttery store, I'll call you back.

Aha! Why not get the old battery out just to check for size and then all I have to do is pop the new one in tomorrow? Good idea.

Attack the nuts on the terminals just as the sun sets.

The discovery that the alarm battery siren activates after you disconnect the battery is startling since I have my head under the bonnet - I recoil backwards and nearly tread on my glasses. (Nearly didn't see them 'cos it's getting dark.)

The remote is back in the kitchen so run in and plip it. Nothing.

So I jam the lead back on to the terminal and read the instruction manual for the alarm. Written in perfect Italglish (or Engian) I think it is saying that this feature can only be disarmed with the engine running - and I can't start the fecking thing because the flipping battery's flat.

At least I can get the metal strap off to be ready for a rapid changeover in between blasts on the siren. Oh grief it's one of these fiddly ones.

Lean over to attack this bit and their is a "beep" from somewhere. Sh*t - what have I done now? "biddly beep" - nope, terminals are on so alarm shouldn't have gone off. "biddley biddley beep" - ramming my thumb on the remote has no effect.

"biddley, biddley...." ooops, that'll be my mobile then..... It's ATS riging back cos they've found the right one.

Can get the front vertical hold-down out but not the back one.

It is now dark and I think I have given my neighbours quite enough amusement for one night. So I give up and feed the cats.

Can't change a battery but at least I can please the moggies!

(PS - later that night the nice man from ATS not only delivered the correct one but also fitted it. What a very nice man indeed.)
 

STEVE BURNS

Club Member
Hi Gio
thanks, just read your post at 7 oclock and it reminds me that fawlty towers is on tonight at 8.30 <img src="http://www.zclub.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':p'>  <img src="http://www.zclub.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':p'>  <img src="http://www.zclub.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':p'>  <img src="http://www.zclub.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':p'>
 

john-boy

Well-Known Forum User
Gio,

I can fully relate to this story as I had to fit a new battery to my zed the morning after I'd brought it home from (now cursed) vendor's place. Thanks for telling me!

I had the same problem, as soon as you disconnect the damn thing, the alarm starts screaming in your earhole ... and under the bonnet is the last place you want your head when there's 120db going on! <img src="http://www.zclub.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':0'>

So there's then a keystone-cops-esque rush to rip the dead 'un out and quickly wack in the newie .... what a laugh (again, entertainment for the neighbours) ...

Jeesh, I hope this one lasts a while ... after all, on day 1, all I wanted to do was drive the damn thing <img src="http://www.zclub.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':p'>

Worth the aggro' thankfully!

CheerZ,
John. <img src="http://www.zclub.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':D'>
 

Gio

Well-Known Forum User
STEVE BURNS : Hi Gio
thanks, just read your post at 7 oclock and it reminds me that fawlty towers is on tonight at 8.30 <img src="http://www.zclub.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':p'>  <img src="http://www.zclub.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':p'>  <img src="http://www.zclub.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':p'>  <img src="http://www.zclub.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':p'>
<span id='postcolor'>
Ta Steve - that'll get me off the PC and in front of the TV where I belong <img src="http://www.zclub.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':D'>

(remind me one day to tell you how we ended up with 2 cats called Sybil and Basil&#33<img src="http://www.zclub.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=';)'>

Cheers John, at least I didn't try it with a hangover is all I can say! &nbsp;<img src="http://www.zclub.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=';)'>
 

Mr.F

Inactive
Batteries are the same configuration for Z31 and Z32. The ATS book might be for LHD only?

What use is an alarm that doesn't provide the user with some means of disarming it for servicing? Surely there is a valet mode to allow the workshop that has your car avoid all this neighbour and moggie traumatising?
 

Gio

Well-Known Forum User
Mike - yes there is a valet mode but if you can work out from the mangled English how to get into it, you're a better man than I!

The instructions are always in the car so when we bump into each other at some meet or other, I'll show you what I mean.

Welcome back - have a good holiday?

Cheers - Gio
 

Mr.F

Inactive
37 degrees leaving sparkling Dubai airport to return to grubby Heathrow at 11 degrees, drizzle and the universal British scowl - makes the holiday seem even better! Also, in UAE I discover no-one needs car alarms as there is virtually no crime. Really friendly people who will hand over the keys to their car for you to drive five minutes after meeting you - great experience of a Saleen Mustang. 450bhp - you like car? You take for drive? Bye!
 
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