Feeling very lucky tonight ...

[Cliosaregay]

... after causing no damage to myself or anyone else after all my electrics on my car failed doing 70mph coming off a dual carriage way, driving in the pitch black and having to stop with the handbrake was f**king scary to say the least!

im not sure whats up with my car but it seems to be something with the battery, its been jump started numerous times but nothing happens all my electrics are flickering like crazy and my radio comes up with a "enter code" :S can anyone shed some light on what might be wrong with my car?


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[richd]

sounds like the alternators had it, your radio is asking for the radio code because the battery has gone flat

 

[jesus]

Does your footbrake not work when the electrics are down?

 

[Munson]

If the engine cuts out then you lose servo assistance. The brakes will still work but you'd have to stamp on the pedal.

 

[DrR]

Will the momentum of the car not keep the engine turning over giving power to the servo? Or are brake servos powered by electric?

 

[LiamR172]

Yeah that sounds like your altenator tbh. I had a problem with mine, would turn the key and every light on the car would flash etc :s

 

[scotty2hotty81]

Will the momentum of the car not keep the engine turning over giving power to the servo? Or are brake servos powered by electric?

Vacuum from inlet manifold, when engine is running.

 

[DrR]

Vacuum from inlet manifold, when engine is running.

Does the engine not still suck in air?

 

[Jay_G]

Will the momentum of the car not keep the engine turning over giving power to the servo? Or are brake servos powered by electric?

That's what I thought, drop it into a gear, and let off the clutch? Would slow down very quickly, but guess that's the point.

 

[Cliosaregay]

ok so ive tried to see whats the main issue is with my car this morning and something isnt right ... charged the battery up and managed to get it starting again however every time i brake or steer the power just "dips down" on the verge of stopping everything in my car :S it also seems to have a strange noise coming from what i think is the belt on the alternator... taking it to my local garage tomorrow to see whats up with it!

 

[Addicted]

Alternator. Already said

 

[lemonnobby]

Alternator 1.2 let me guess

 

[jesus]

Alternator 100%.

 

[t90_lle]

aux belt is my bet...

 

[pastieman]

I don't think it has been said yet but it looks like your alternator is at fault here........ !!!!

 

[Daniel]

Does the engine not still suck in air?

Not if its not running no.

Look out of the window at your car, is it sucking in air now?

 

[mark smith87]

Sounds more like the battery has a dead short across the cells. Mine suddenly packed up last year in the middle of a rally stage. I tried jump starting it several times but it wouldn't start. I managed to get it hone eventually but the battery was totally dead by the time I got home. It wasn't the alternator. I put a new heavy duty battery on the car and its been fine ever since. I had similar thing where the CD player stopped working due to low voltage on the day it went flat. Since the battery was changed its been fine so I would check that first.

 

[Cliosaregay]

turns out it was the battery ... just replaced it with a new one and its working fine

 

[MarkCup]

Not if its not running no.

Look out of the window at your car, is it sucking in air now?

But if it's in gear, and the car is rolling under its own momentum, it will be sucking air in. No?

 

[DrR]

Not if its not running no.

Look out of the window at your car, is it sucking in air now?

No because my cars not coasting at 70mph in gear like the OP says.

 

[mark smith87]

That was easily sorted then. The symptoms sounded just like what happened when the battery died on mine. They can pack up with no warning sometimes.