HELP! My car has just stopped working!

[balders118]

Hi all, after a bit of help with whats gone wrong with the puma...

Been driving around all day (prob around 2 hours) stopping for lunch, at the park for a walk etc. I then go home to cook dinner. After dinner I go to get in the car to go to the cinema, turn the key ... Nothing! The dash lights are very dim, and it's not even trying to turn over. It's as if the battery has completey died in about two hours when it was previously working fine. We attach some jump leeds and after revving the donor car for about 3/4 mins (and three failed attempts during this time) my car starts. Jumps leeds off and leave it running for a min or two. I get in the car and touch the brake which kills the engine. Turn the key again, and nothing at all happens again.

So is my battery just knackered, an underlying electrical issue that's drained the battery, could it be the starter motor, something else?

TIA!

Chris

[Big News]

At a guess, alternator is shot so that in your driving prior to the 2 hours parked up, the battery wasn't being recharged, the same situation occurring when it stopped after being jumped?

[TheInternet]

Big News said:

At a guess, alternator is shot so that in your driving prior to the 2 hours parked up, the battery wasn't being recharged, the same situation occurring when it stopped after being jumped?

I'd go with this, if it's an old vehic you might want to pop the brush/diode pack off and see if it's worn out.

[Egg Chaser]

Yep, sounds like your alternator is knackered. The engine stopping when you pressed the brakes was probably just coincidental, as brakes are hydraulic not electrical.

[attym3]

Sounds like alternator, do you have/can you get a multimeter?

Mark

[davepoth]

Touching the brake kills the engine...I'd guess you've got something electrical gone badly wrong. If you have the manual to hand try pulling out the fuse for the brake lights and see if that makes a difference.

[fflyingdog]

Also ,although very obvious but often over looked check the battery terminals are tight.If they are then as previous poster says sounds like an alternator issue,easy check ,multimeter across battery ternimals after you have jump started it you should get around 13-14 volts (approx figures)when you rev the engine a little.Have you an ignition light glowing when engine is running??

[Eggman]

Batteries can die very suddenly, but you won't know for sure unless you test whether it's charging using a voltmeter. Alternatively, fish the battery out and see if it'll take a charge overnight.

[balders118]

Battery light came on about a month ago, so tightened up the connections which seemed fixed it - the light went off. I got the battery/alternator checked with a multimeter (at halfords, I don't have one) and both were okay, a month ago.

This time I had no battery light come on at all today, surely if it was the alternator not charging the battery it would have come on?

[sunbeam alpine]

I think it's the battery. I had this last year - I came up to a junction, turned on the indicators, and the engine died. Luckily I managed to bump start it (was still rolling fast enough), and got to a mates place. Swapped batteries, and everything was fine.

[P I Staker]

Get a volt meter, with the engine running it should be charging at about 14V, when not charging about 12.5V.

[balders118]

Hmm okay. I'm leaning towards a duff battery as the cause, simply because I'm sure the light would have come on had it been the alternator, no? Also this will be considerably cheaper, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Edit: forgot to say I'll get down halford tomorrow and get a voltmeter across it!

[sadako]

When my battery died in the MR2, I got jump started then me turning on the indicators was enough of a power drain to make the car stall. Pushing the brake will make the car try and turn the brake lights on which use more power than indicators do.

In my case I gave up, got a lift from the office to a nearby Halfords to get a new battery. The alternator was fine.

[chunkol]

If the alternator light goes off when the engine is running, it's probably the battery that has developed a bad internal short. Dead easy to fix with the right equipment - even Kwik-Fit could do it.

[balders118]

chunkol said:

If the alternator light goes off when the engine is running, it's probably the battery that has developed a bad internal short. Dead easy to fix with the right equipment - even Kwik-Fit could do it.

Would it not be easier/cheaper to get a new battery?

[sunbeam alpine]

chunkol said:

If the alternator light goes off when the engine is running, it's probably the battery that has developed a bad internal short. Dead easy to fix with the right equipment - even Kwik-Fit could do it.

That's what they said when my battery died (see my post above). Of course they didn't say it was an easy fix - they just sold me a new battery. Could you give more details on how you can fix this?

[chunkol]

sunbeam alpine said:

chunkol said:

If the alternator light goes off when the engine is running, it's probably the battery that has developed a bad internal short. Dead easy to fix with the right equipment - even Kwik-Fit could do it.

That's what they said when my battery died (see my post above). Of course they didn't say it was an easy fix - they just sold me a new battery. Could you give more details on how you can fix this?

Sorry - badly written.
"Easy to diagnose and replace battery" would make a hell of a lot more sense. Blame a hectic 12 hour shift followed by beer.

[Negative Creep]

Check the battery terminals havent come loose, even a slight bit of play would result in the symptoms youre describing. Also make sure the earth is securely connected at the other end