any - nanual stop/start-goosed Tom Tom | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks

Sat 17 Mar 2012 12:43

any - nanual stop/start-goosed Tom Tom - unthrottled

With a recent thread about the merit (or lack thereof) of automatic stop/start, I decided to run a manual version to see if it made a significant financial difference. I think it might have-a very negative one.

My Tom tom has suddenly stopped charging. Upon closer inspection, the fuse in the charging cable had blown-as has the fuse in the 12V socket. Then I saw the label on the cable which said "ensure engine is started before plugging in device". Doh.

So, it looks like I've lost £100.

(I saved about £2 over a tank btw). Yay.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sat 17 Mar 2012 13:02

any - nanual stop/start-goosed Tom Tom - gordonbennet

I'd have thought the wear and tear to the starter, starter ring and DMF of a non stop start designed car would far outweigh the possible savings, factor in the inevitable starter/ring failure at the most inopportune moment.

I tend to leave my engine running unless the stop is likely to be in excess of 5 minutes, unless in a confined space or other consideration.

Glad i bought a Garmin then, blinking expensive fuses on those TT's...:-)

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sat 17 Mar 2012 13:15

any - nanual stop/start-goosed Tom Tom - unthrottled

It's an expensive lesson. :(

I don't have a DMF. Starter motor is OEM (16 years and still cranking strongly). They made things to last in the good ol' days! Unlike these electronic gizmos. A warm petrol petrol only needs to be tickled by the starter motor, so wear isn't an issue. It seems however, that current surge upon disengagement of the starter is a problem.

Annoyingly, the TOM TOM still works, there's just no way of charging it via the mini USB port. Any electronic gurus have any suggestions as to whether I can repair it? Could it just be a blown resister or something?

Edited by unthrottled on 17/03/2012 at 13:16

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sat 17 Mar 2012 14:37

any - nanual stop/start-goosed Tom Tom - xtrailman

I've plugged my garmin in on a regular basis with no problems.

Try another lead.

Seems a odd design for a in car gadget.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sat 17 Mar 2012 16:00

any - nanual stop/start-goosed Tom Tom - dieselnut

Just checked the cable for my satnav, not a TomTom just a £40 Chinese jobie. Has accessory plug one end & mini USB the other. A sticker on it says 12/24v input & 5v output, so the accessory plug must have some sort of voltage regulator built in. So as xtrail says, may just need a new lead or if you can prise it apart you may find something fried inside the plug.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sat 17 Mar 2012 17:47

any - nanual stop/start-goosed Tom Tom - unthrottled

Bought a new lead (albeit a generic one). It's definitely the device. Replaced the battery and the TT still works perfectly. Something between the USB port on the TT and the battery is dead, but there's no visible damage to the circuitboard.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sat 17 Mar 2012 19:04

any - nanual stop/start-goosed Tom Tom - Bromptonaut

Obvious point but have you confirmed whether:

(a) the supply accessoriy/ciggy lighter is live and not blown again

(b) will TT charge from alt USB supply (eg PC or mains ttransformer.

Instruction to connect after engine running is a precaution against a surge that might occur under a fault condition or fluctuations churning a cold engine. I'd expect anything charging off the car's electrics to survive a stall/restart or similar.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sat 17 Mar 2012 19:05

any - nanual stop/start-goosed Tom Tom - xtrailman

Try this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IyIocgPRGk

or this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSL_FQsitB8

enter tomtom repair for more.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sun 18 Mar 2012 20:28

any - nanual stop/start-goosed Tom Tom - Collos25

"I'd have thought the wear and tear to the starter, starter ring and DMF of a non stop start designed car would far outweigh the possible savings, factor in the inevitable starter/ring failure at the most inopportune moment."

Do not vehicles with stop start technology have a different operational system.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Mon 19 Mar 2012 08:24

any - nanual stop/start-goosed Tom Tom - xtrailman

Dedicated starter motor, and battery with a 4 year life span

Makes me recall when i fitted a Mk2 cortina engine into a Mk1 cortina, my mate at the scrap yard told me the engine i could have for £50, but minus the starter motor.

He said just use the original one, turned out the starter motor wouldnt mate up, as the flywheel had more teeth on the ring to match the latest gadget the preengaged starter motor.

I had to pay £60 in the end for a new one, more than the cost of a secondhand engine, the scrap yard one i tried first had a open circuit on the com, so wouldnt turn if the motor stopped on that particular part of the com.

Edited by xtrailman on 19/03/2012 at 08:33

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Mon 19 Mar 2012 08:43

any - nanual stop/start-goosed Tom Tom - daveyjp

Mercedes use the "Valeo StARS" system where starts are done using the alternator not a traditional starter motor. Also adopted by PSA.

Edited by daveyjp on 19/03/2012 at 08:44

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Mon 19 Mar 2012 08:59

any - nanual stop/start-goosed Tom Tom - TeeCee

Ooo, a "Dynastart".

How quaint. My father's 1929 Riley has one.

Are Valeo going to be reinventing the wheel any time soon?