Help needed.Intermitant complete electrical failure.

[BLUETHUNDER]

I got in to the car last night to go to work,immobaliser disarmed,press start button,pull away,car moves three feet engine dies and along with it all the electrics.I try to restart the car but i have no power to the ignition,no lights,no wipers,absolutley nothing.the car is completely dead apart from the immobaliser light which is flashing.Pressing the key fob does nothing to disarm it.I go to work come back six hours later disconnect the battery then reconnect and the car comes back to life.This has happened to me three times now and is really beggining to piss me off.Has any one else suffered this problem?If so whats the cure.Any help most appreciated. Cheers Mark

[purpleheadedcerb]

Big fuse failure? Have you changed it recently?

[Extra 300 Driver]

BLUETHUNDER said:

I got in to the car last night to go to work,immobaliser disarmed,press start button,pull away,car moves three feet engine dies and along with it all the electrics.I try to restart the car but i have no power to the ignition,no lights,no wipers,absolutley nothing.the car is completely dead apart from the immobaliser light which is flashing.Pressing the key fob does nothing to disarm it.I go to work come back six hours later disconnect the battery then reconnect and the car comes back to life.This has happened to me three times now and is really beggining to piss me off.Has any one else suffered this problem?If so whats the cure.Any help most appreciated. Cheers Mark

Check the main positive feed from the battery is not grounding out or earthing its self on the LH exhaust manifold.

Its routed very close and can sometimes cause just this issue.

[garethgtt]

Ive had the car do similair things mainly when starting it up--with a loose Positive terminal connection lead on the battery.
it seemed fairly tight on there but obviously wasnt.

[greenv8s]

I had a similar problem a few months after I had an alarm fitted, turned out the pillock had just twisted the wires together and as soon as corrosion set in it started giving intermittant connections.

[BLUETHUNDER]

Ive checked all the connections and they all seem tight and in place.checked the main feed from the battery and its well clear of the manifold.As for the big fuse,if this had blown,then how comes after leaving the car for several hours then disconnecting the battery and reconnecting it do i get all the power back????? Im stumped.

[Extra 300 Driver]

Feed into the fuse box?

[spamgroper]

Bloke i bought car off had big fuse issues, it hadnt gone in the traditional sense

but was causing electrical weirdness. He changed it, problem solved and had the good

sense to buy an extra spare(left in ashtray) at an astronomical £1 each

[purpleheadedcerb]

He was ripped off! Mine were 66p each! I now have nine spare.

[BLUETHUNDER]

Im not having a good day,what with my wipers playing up,and now a return of my electrical problems.got in the car tonight to come home,started the car ran ok for a few seconds then started to falter,then cut out.no electrics,nothing at all.Get out disconnect the battery,arc the lead over the terminal connect the battery, electrics back on.Manage to drive three miles and the same thing happens to me again at a busy junction on the soth circular.Get out disconnect the battery wiggle the main power lead around connect back up and away i go.Some one please help me,i want to make VW on Sunday

[purpleheadedcerb]

Better leave now then!

Seriously, I still think that you may have a fault with the big fuse. Obviously its intermittent and your previous fix may have just been a coincidence.

It could be something simple like its not seated correctly or the nuts aren't tightened enough. Mine was quite furred up when I replaced it even though it hadn't blown as such. It might just be worth removing the one you have, cleaning it up and re-fitting.

Hope you get it sorted.

Alternatively, could it be any dodgy connections from the coil packs?

[BLUETHUNDER]

Well ive taken the advice given and checked the big fuse that is inline with power lead to the battery,it was a bit grubby with burn marks on one end,and with slight melting of the fuse holder at the same end.Cleaned all the connections and fitted a new fuse.Only problem was i couldnt get a 100 amp fuse for love nor money so settled on an 80 amp one instead.Ive ordered a few 100 fuses for delivery next week.Gave the big fuse behind the engine block a visual check and that seem to be fine.Fitted it all back together started the car up put a load on car seemed fine.Gave the car a run for a couple of miles and seemed ok.Got back home and continued to start the ignition and put loads on the electrics and every thing seemed fine.So heres to tomorrow and my trip to VW with fingers crossed,tool box in the boot,and RAC membership card in my pocket.

[purpleheadedcerb]

Fingers crossed. Hope you have sorted it.

[BLUETHUNDER]

I hope so and all,other wise i will be selling it if i get any more probs.