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[mcd840]

hi, I bought a new car last Fri. 57 plate signum 2.2 elite with 56000 on it.  Lovely car but here is a few issues I have - I notice my headlights dimming when the steering is turned. Also I can hear the sat nav disk going round inside the headunit when the ignition is switched off as is the headunit. I have locked myself in the car and this continues.  When I unlock the car the same thing happens, no key in the ignition, headunit not switched on but the disk seems to fire up.  The fuel gauge takes a while to register after a fill up and only seemed to read correct after putting the foot down, after this it seems to work ok and the gauge goes down in accordance with the tank level.  If im sitting with the car ticking over the headlights go dim-bright and so on, as does the cars interior lighting.  I have also noticed that sometimes the car will start as it should do, other times it will start abit abruptly.  The car still has its original vx battery and the green light is dead.  I googled these above symptoms and they mostly pointed to a failing battery so I went to halfords for a battery test, the battery come back as giving out 12v but the test could not be conducted further as the battery was showing "noise" and the chap told me that means there is power being drained somewhere.  Lastly whilst driving home tonight the radio went dead and only the on/off switch was illuminated, this lasted about 3 seconds then the radio come back on, theres obviously an issue here somewhere...any suggestions ? Thanks!

[Doctor Gollum]

Follow Kevin Woods battery test from the maintenance guides and report back 

[Viral_Jim]

I would start by replacing the battery, and ignoring anything a Halfrauds employee said to me about my car 

Halfords is for buying kiddies bikes, airfreshners and stick-on plastic tat. Not for looking after a car 

[mcd840]

I have just been out with a torch any my battery light is actually showing green when i originally thought it was black

[Andy H]

While it is quite possible that you have a duff battery the behaviour of the radio is rather suspicious.

I would pull the radio out and leave it out for a few days to see what happens.

[Marks DTM Calib]

Agreed, the symptoms are suggesting something other than the battery.

Also worth checking for loose ground connections etc. or a loose plug in the rear of the radio.

I assume its a CD70?

[Nick W]

I have just been out with a torch any my battery light is actually showing green when i originally thought it was black

Those indicators work best with a piece of insulating tape over them. Then they can't fool you that a duff battery is any good.

[TD]

  If im sitting with the car ticking over the headlights go dim-bright and so on, as does the cars interior lighting. 

With that problem, i'd be checking out the alternator/regulator.

[Andy H]

  If im sitting with the car ticking over the headlights go dim-bright and so on, as does the cars interior lighting. 

With that problem, i'd be checking out the alternator/regulator.

Yep - he's doing that already because he is following Kevin Woods guide Battery, Charging and Starting Diagnosis

[TD]

  If im sitting with the car ticking over the headlights go dim-bright and so on, as does the cars interior lighting. 

With that problem, i'd be checking out the alternator/regulator.

Yep - he's doing that already because he is following Kevin Woods guide Battery, Charging and Starting Diagnosis