Help! My Car is dead :(

[.Gem.]

Got major issues with my car at the moment. Has anyone got any ideas??

9/10 times its absolutely fine, but 3 times now it has gone wrong.

For example, this morning I was parked round the back of the house, car started first time, drove round to the front, parked up turned it off, ran in house as had forgotten something, went back out, and it wouldnt start. This has happened twice before, its ticking over the first couple of attempts, then seems to lose all power.

The previous times it has done this, Ive been able to jump start it after about 20 mins of it being linked to another car, but this morning it blew the jump leads, they were connected properly and not touching plastics or anything

Took it to a garage other week and the mechanic said he thought it could be sparks but Im very confused as its a very intermittent problem.

Any ideas??

Helllllllllppppppppppppppppppp!!!!!!!!!

 

[Kiss_Clio]

alternator?

 

[.Gem.]

:S ??? lol

 

[Kiss_Clio]

basically the alternator acts as a knid of generator, produceing a steady flow of electricity from mechanical energy. when u start the car it needs electric to give it the 'jolt'. if ur alternator is on its way out it ur car will run ok until the battery has lost all of it's charge.

it's hard to tell sometimes, one way is sometime ur headlights will dim intermitantly, or anything electrical will be a bit 'weak'...

it's just a thought, i'm sure one of the guys will be along in a minute and tell u exactly what the problem is

 

[Da]

Battery on it's way out would be my guess, get it tested. Should be 12-14v output, anything below that and it's failing.

 

[Fred@BTM]

battery fucked more than likley, you should never have to have jump leads on a car for 20min! it shoud start instantly if being jumped

 

[ollie]

Aye I said the battery.

 

[Gray]

I bet you a homemade cookie its your battery on its way out!

 

[Kiss_Clio]

^is it a special one

 

[Terry172]

I would say it's the battery as well. Check the voltage across the terminals to see if you are getting over 12V. Also another common thing that shows the battery is failing is to look at your dash and see if it keeps reseting itself most times you turn off and then restart the car.

 

[ollie]

She's rang someone that was advertised in the paper that does free battery tests. He likely to cost a fortune if she gets a battery off him if it is the battery that's dead?

 

[Fred@BTM]

maplin, £5 for a multimeter, job done

 

[ollie]

The guy seems to think it might be the starter motor?

Regarding the dash resetting itself, it appears it does do... So more than likely a dead battery?

 

[mattjk]

Yeah I can get a digital one for £5 from my local discount store

 

[mattjk]

^ out the lights on and crankt he started and see if they dim

 

[Fred@BTM]

yeah battery, is there a ticking/clicking noise coming from the clocks when you try and start it?

 

[Marky_]

Starter motor wouldn't affect the electrics, would it?

 

[Chally]

Battery... Same thing happened to my old car...

 

[ollie]

^ out the lights on and crankt he started and see if they dim

Will try in a minute and see

yeah battery, is there a ticking/clicking noise coming from the clocks when you try and start it?

As above, will try in a minute and see

Starter motor wouldn't affect the electrics, would it?

The guy on the phone said he would come look at it after work... Probably wants paying with something other than money... cnut, lol.

Battery... Same thing happened to my old car...

Hoping so!

 

[ollie]

Headlights are dim as foooooooook already, and LOTS of clicking from inside the dash, and it's not even attempting to start now... Battery then?

 

[mattjk]

battery!!

Could of gone empty due to a faulty alternator though!

Test with a voltmeter.

 

[ollie]

battery!!

Could of gone empty due to a faulty alternator though!

Test with a voltmeter.

How many pennies we lookin at to replace alternator and decent battery?

 

[geesus69]

ive got a 172 alternator if you decide you need one and dont wanna fork out for new price

 

[Black-Clio-1.4]

I would say battery/alternator as the battery doesn't seem charged!?

 

[ollie]

How much £££?

 

[Black-Clio-1.4]

Decent batt - from £80 - £200

 

[Fred@BTM]

£80-£200 for a battery, you on crack! £40-£50 for the battery, i doubt its the alternator (well for your wallets sake i hope its not!)

 

[jon_r]

Decent batt - from £80 - £200

£200!! :S

 

[ollie]

£80-£200 for a battery, you on crack! £40-£50 for the battery, i doubt its the alternator (well for your wallets sake i hope its not!)

That's more like it Will sort a new battery out and hope for the best lol.

 

[Ali]

Lick the battery if you get a shock it's not that!

 

[Fred@BTM]

i just put a new one in the V6 and it was £63

 

[pete_clio]

yep, got a new varta one last month 55amp job for 40 quid from a motor factors

 

[AlexS]

PMSL @ £200 for a battery, does it suck you off as well!
I fitted a pair of deep cycle marine jobbies 140amp hours each to a boat I was fitting out and they were under a ton each.

 

[mattjk]

okay I think the point been made he was wrong!

What was the outcome matey?

 

[.Gem.]

Thanks for all replies!!! Appreciate the assistance..via cs..via ollie to me LOL

Am pretty convinced its battery, not alternator, as per posts up above on board comp is reset every time I get in car recently, didnt know it was not supposed to do that lol! And loads of clicking n stuff!

Mechanic popping over later to have a look see, so fingers crossed is battery n nothing else!

 

[ollie]

Fingers crossed he doesn't try rip you off to, or he's getting tied up and put in the boot of the CSL, then going for a little drive somewhere.

 

[.Gem.]

Fingers crossed he doesn't try rip you off to, or he's getting tied up and put in the boot of the CSL, then going for a little drive somewhere.

ROFL..well from your advice I pretty much 100% know its battery so he either sorts me out with a nice cheap new one or I'll holla for the csl

 

[ollie]

S'ok as long as you're putting petrol in her

 

[.Gem.]

S'ok as long as you're putting petrol in her

fail

 

[cat171]

I'd forget the mechanic tbh, get a new battery for it anyway as the chances are the dude is going to want to charge you more for it then a shop would.

Also remember, if you have the standard HU (radio) in the car you'll need the code to put in when you change the battery.

Decent batt - from £80 - £200

Pmsl !!