Dead car

[swansea v6]

My BMW compact (E36 318ti) has just refused to start.....it starts on the button with a jump start but other than that will just point blank to even turn over. The lights on the dash do not come on and the starter does not click, is it new battery time? or anything else......plugs/leads have just been replaced and the car has always started first time, before today.

[joewilliams]

Battery/alternator. If you jump start it then remove the jump leads, does it continue to run? Does the battery light go out?

[Bolognese]

I thought the topic was dear car.. Was expecting a heartfelt letter to a car.

[ChiChoAndy]

Check the earth. Mine did this not long ago, and a new ground sorted it.

[swansea v6]

Once the car is started with the booster, it runs fine but as soon as you as turn the ignition off you can not re-start it (without the booster). Will go re-check ground straps, if not I have a feeling its new battery time...

[chard]

Most places can check your battery.................or put a multimeter on and measure the voltage should be 13v ish when not running

[Cemesis]

Use the Black jumper cable to connect the negative on the battery in your car to the negative on the battery on the other car and try and start it. If it works then its your Earth connection from the battery.

Get a voltmeter on your battery and see what the voltage is with nothing turned on in the car. I've recently had to replace my 10 year old battery.

[ChiChoAndy]

Cemesis said:

Use the Black jumper cable to connect the negative on the battery in your car to the negative on the battery on the other car and try and start it. If it works then its your Earth connection from the battery.

Get a voltmeter on your battery and see what the voltage is with nothing turned on in the car. I've recently had to replace my 10 year old battery.

Does that work? Cool tip if so! Jotted down for future use.

[Eggman]

ChiChoAndy said:

Does that work?

No, it wouldn't.

Using a jump lead (of whatever colour you like) from the negative terminal of your car's own battery to the engine block would. I very much doubt that's the OP's problem or the booster pack wouldn't have started it (unless he'd connected the negative lead to the block).

[ShayneJ]

Cemesis said:

Use the Black jumper cable to connect the negative on the battery in your car to the negative on the battery on the other car and try and start it. If it works then its your Earth connection from the battery.

And this completes the circuit how?


Sounds like either the battery is goosed or you have a poor earth

[bobda]

It's your battery. Don't waste any more time getting things checked, jump starting etc - just get a decent new battery tomorrow.