Paul Coddington said:

Hi All, it's the P38 DT with a manual gearbox. So apart from the ongoing ABS issue which is awaiting a space at the mechanics.
I've fired it up this morning just because it looked like a snowball. And no instrument panel! Checked fuse 1 which was fine, reinserted it and the panel has partially come to life. I've got a message electrical fault, fuel gauge fault etc. Rev counter is working. Then all of a sudden it sprung back to life. Now I changed the battery at the weekend. And it did a very similar thing. Any ideas, I'd like to sort this before it can get worse.

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Datatek said:

Was the car humid inside, windows misted up?

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Rubberknees said:

battery terminals dirty or loose. Have found the positive terminal connector needs to be pushed right down or can work loose

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pwood999 said:

Did you charge the battery before fitting ?

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Paul Coddington said:

No, I didn't. I got it from a company I've used a lot over the years. Never been an issue before.

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pwood999 said:

Did you charge the battery before fitting ?

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pwood999 said:

yes but it's been 4 days in the freezing cold. what's the battery voltage looking like with engine off ?

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Paul Coddington said:

No, I didn't. I got it from a company I've used a lot over the years. Never been an issue before.

Just checked it 12.53v. Interestingly the instrument panel is now fine. All the warnings lights, fuel gauge working fine. The electrical fault, airbag fault messages have gone. It's never had these issues before the battery change. It's been out in much colder weather than this morning, so l have no idea what could have changed.

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Datatek said:

Frosty on the outside, but was it wet and/or frosty on the inside? I suspect that the problem is/was just due to damp.

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Paul Coddington said:

Covered in a frost, misted windscreen, nothing more serious than that. It did throw this wobble when I changed the battery, but turning it off of and restarting cured that.
As I said it's not done this before, even on much colder and damp days. It must not like Exide batteries.

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Paul Coddington said:

Didn't have an option, the barrens of NE Derbyshire can be harsh

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