Car won't start. Engine not turning over

[c6erb]

I press the starter button and the MIL light briefly illuminates then goes out. There is then a droning noise and then a beep. The battery and oil lights illuminate and then the handbrake and MIL lights illuminate.

I used the car before I went on holiday and I have had it on trickle charge since. The strange thing is that the driver's window seems to go down slowly before the driver's door opens as though the car battery is low.

[Steve_T]

Have you checked the battery with a test meter?

[c6erb]

Not yet. I've only had it a couple of years though. How long do they last?

[FUBAR]

c6erb said:

Not yet. I've only had it a couple of years though. How long do they last?

Previous battery lasted at least 4 years, then the replacement that went on early summer lasted 4 weeks! The current (Halfords) battery seems to be fine

[c6erb]

The last battery I had was sourced and fitted by the AA

[Steve_T]

I'd check the battery voltage, if it's low, do you have another car you can get a jump from? If you can get the car started, does the charging light go out, if it doesn't, that suggests you have a problem with the charging circuit, not your battery necessarily. Check the 100A fuse, which is behind the block. Don't forget if the battery was not being charged when you last drove the car, then it can be sufficiently discharged that a trickle charger cannot recharge it.

Steve.

[c6erb]

Would that mean that there is a problem with the alternator?

[Steve_T]

c6erb said:

Would that mean that there is a problem with the alternator?

Could be, but the 100A 'big fuse' is a common source of problems with the Cerb and is located between the alternator and battery. It might not be your alternator. Be careful with the big fuse as it's connected to the battery positive and the engine block is earth.

Steve.

[c6erb]

The strange thing is that the trickle charger isn't getting warm like it used to do.

[FUBAR]

Trickle charger probably FUBAR'd then

[c6erb]

I was trying to trickle charge my battery via the cigarette lighter. It has been suggested that this is not the best way of doing it and it might be better to use the croc clips instead.

[Nickccc]

c6erb said:

I was trying to trickle charge my battery via the cigarette lighter. It has been suggested that this is not the best way of doing it and it might be better to use the croc clips instead.

I have been using the optimate with the cig lighter plug in for two years, no probs atall.

You goto check the battery, preferably when running to see if the alternator is charging, you should be looking for +13 volts.
If you dont then check alternator and big fuse. I f you have to change the fuse make sure you dissconect the battery first.

[c6erb]

I tried to start the car again yesterday but this time I could hear the starter motor. There was a clicking sound and the hazards started to flash also.

Now the driver's window doesn't go up even though the battery is showing as charged.

I've had the current battery since December 2004.

[Steve_T]

The clicking sound is most likely the starter solenoid. Initially, there's enough voltage to energise the starter solenoid's coil, this switches power to the starter motor. This causes a big current draw, which drops the battery voltage, which means there's not enough voltage to keep solenoid closes, so the power to the starter motor is switched off and then the cycle repeats, so you get a kind of buzzing noise. This says your battery is not charged, because either it won't hold charge, or it's flat.

Edited by Steve_T on Monday 24th September 17:19

[jon h]

Does your charger have lights on to show what it is doing? Mine has a green power light on, plus a yellow Charge light. When plugging into the lighter, I have to waggle the plug a bit to get the yellow light to come on. Symptoms say flat battery, so I would say charger is not doing its job.

Jon H

[c6erb]

Yesterday I had the battery on charge and I watched the light turn from amber to green (after about 20 mins)

[Steve_T]

Take your battery and get it tested. It sounds like it needs replacement as while the voltage picks up with the charger attached, (hence the green light), it has little capacity, hence it cannot cope with load put on it by the starter.

Steve.

[marcus1970]

c6erb said:

I tried to start the car again yesterday but this time I could hear the starter motor. There was a clicking sound and the hazards started to flash also.

Now the driver's window doesn't go up even though the battery is showing as charged.

I've had the current battery since December 2004.

Jump start it - odds on it will start neraly straight away.

Then get yourself a brand new 072.

The car will appreciate a new battery believe me

MB

[c6erb]

If only I'd backed it into my garage...

[Peppe]

Hi !

It could be a problem with ground in the electric system. A "easy" way to test it, is to put a jump cable from minus on the battery to ground on the engine. If you don´t want to take the cover over the battery off from the car, you could try to ground from the grounding point on the chassis inside the front wheel on the passenger side, just below the battery.

Peppe