Please Read Me!

[myky16]

for the past few months occasionally when i go to start my car the battery is flat, what can cause this and how do i check wether the batt is screwed or somethin in my cars drainin the power? Secondly it happened last nite so me and my dad pushed it round the corner to jump lead it, as soon as it was done i turned the wheels full lock and there was a grinding noise even when not moving, it stopped when i had drove around a bit. Is this the driveshaft/cv joint or was it the power steerin from moving the car with the engine off? Please help i am gettin paranoid!!!

 

[GR7]

The radio left on maybe?

 

[007]

It could be a few things - some of the battery cells are bu66ered, the alternator isnt chargeing, something is draining it or just short journeys that dont give the alternator a chance to start re-charging the battery. Thats all the stuff that came up when one of my cars did it. It turned out to be a dieing battery. Lucas tested it - unfortunatly they had assumed it was the alternator first and replaced it at a cost of £80. Get the battery checked first but having you radio on without the engine running can drain the battery very very quickly.

 

[telford_mike]

Batteries wear out too. If you cant find something obvious try fitting a new one.

 

[KDF]

get a multimeter (few quid) measure the voltage accross the battery, then start the car and if the voltage jumps up to over 13 volts then your alternator is fine.

let it charge for a bit, then turn the engine off, measure the voltage now.. if its way below 12 volts then its probably some nackered cells..

 

[myky16]

cheers i have a multimeter coz i just done a electrics course. Should have thought of that.

Dont leave my stereo on tho....Probably the battery

 

[Just Bob]

If you have your trusty multimeter, then you should be able to conduct a power drain test. Make sure everything is turned off and the car doors are closed. Set your multimeter to Amps DC, disconnect the battery, place the ampmeter leads in series between the earth lead and the battery earth post. Initially you may see a peak but after a while it should settle to less than 50Ma. If you have a reading higher than this, then you have some consumer draining the power.

Hope that helps.

Bob RTE

 

[GR7]

Bob

What does RTE stand for? Renault Technical Expert maybe?

 

[Just Bob]

Well GirlRacer, go to the top of the class! You are one clever lady!

No one else has ever offered a correct explanation of the abrieviation before!

Some nasty people have said that RTE stands for

REALLY TINY ERECTION

But I have already killed them!

Yes, I am one of the few hundred RTEs in the country and have been since 1989!!!

Time to blow my own trumpet - I came 3rd, way back in 1993, in a national RTE competion! Thats my only claim to fame.

Having the doors replaced soon to get my head out of them!

LOL

Bob RTE

 

[16v_er]

Check theres no fuels leaks near the alternator as the slip rings can get contaminated, so the alternator is charging the battery. Just a thought.

 

[myky16]

mite sound a little stupid but wheres the alternator in the valver? i dont lift that vented thing much

 

[Flying Scotsman]

I remember when I had my P Reg 1.4RT, after leaving the car for a couple of days it was as flat as a dodo. Turned out in the end to be a faulty Reno radio/cassette HU that turned itself on after leaving the car but with no sound! Took a while for Reno to find the problem, after replacing the battery, alternator and starter!!!!

Presume you have checked the rear hatch inetrior light isnt staying on after the curtousy delay period??

Also if your have a dodgy diode in the rectifier of your alternator this can cause a big drain on the batery when stopped.

Just a few ideas!

Cheers Neil

 

[myky16]

curtousy delay? dont think i got one my car isnt very advanced

the lites come on when the doors open and off when they close if thats what you ment? will check it in the mornin but atleast i got a few ideas to look at and possibly save myself a few pennies, keep the ideas rollin peeps it gives me somethin to do.