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Author Topic: Flat battery  (Read 4543 times)

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Bo Bo

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Flat battery
« on: 21 August 2006, 18:56:55 »
Went to get in the car to go to work just now, pressed the remote button & nothing. The doors were already open & don't know for how long! Tried the ignition & only just got the dash lights to glow, it wouldn't even turn over.
It was fine on my home from work on Sat morning.
This happened a few months ago & I left the car at a garage overnight so they could check things out, but they couldn't find anything wrong.
I'll charge the battery tomorrow, but I'm at a loss of what to do now.
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STMO123

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Re: Flat battery
« Reply #1 on: 21 August 2006, 19:17:35 »
Sorry to state the obvious but it can only be one of four things:
1) Battery not being charged properly
2) Battery not holding charge
3) Charge leaking away to earth somewhere
4)Faulty starter circuit
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JasonH

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Re: Flat battery
« Reply #2 on: 21 August 2006, 21:06:14 »
When the battery's back in measure the voltage aross it when the engine's running. You're looking for around 14V, less than something like 13.8V and the battery's not being charged properly.

If it's draining, then on the saloon, the boot light is worth a visit.
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tunnie

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Re: Flat battery
« Reply #3 on: 21 August 2006, 21:16:46 »
check for drains as said.

First off run a meter across the battery terminals and check for 14 volts ish....

Did you leave a door not shut correctly, or a boot lid not shut right??

How old is the battery?
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TheBoy

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Re: Flat battery
« Reply #4 on: 21 August 2006, 21:41:53 »
I've heard of various things causing this sort of thing - sticky heated rear window relays, central locking motors etc, faulty switches keeping courtesy/boot light on...
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Bo Bo

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Re: Flat battery
« Reply #5 on: 21 August 2006, 22:18:22 »
The battery is a about a year old & it's a heavy duty one.
I checked everything I could think of the last time & the garage could find nothing wrong. Whatever is causing this seems to be intermittent.
I'll change the heated window relay & take it back to where I got the battery from to get things checked when I can get it charged, I had to leave it tonight or I'd have been late for work.
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Markjay

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Re: Flat battery
« Reply #6 on: 21 August 2006, 23:32:28 »
Kids playing with rear curtesy lights leaving them permanently on...?

Interior light left on (the one you switch-on by pulling the lights knob)?

Indicator left enganged? - this causes the parking lights on one side to stay on (standard feature on german cars)

Faulty battery - even though it's almost new?

Poor charging?

And finally, something short-circuiting and draining the battery...



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Bo Bo

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Re: Flat battery
« Reply #7 on: 21 August 2006, 23:59:58 »
There's only been me in the car recently, no interior lights left on.
Indicator is a possiblity, I'll check that when I get up tomorrow, but would have thought I'd notice that as I last left it in the dark. Everything else has been checked out before.
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Auto Addict

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Re: Flat battery
« Reply #8 on: 22 August 2006, 06:28:26 »
Is it a Vx battery? I had a 70amp battery fitted about 12 months ago by the dealer and it lasted about 6 months.

They replaced the battery, and said it was from a faulty batch.
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Bo Bo

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Re: Flat battery
« Reply #9 on: 22 August 2006, 14:40:20 »
Quote
Is it a Vx battery? I had a 70amp battery fitted about 12 months ago by the dealer and it lasted about 6 months.

They replaced the battery, and said it was from a faulty batch.
No it's not a Vx battery, it's a heavy duty one from a local alternator/battery place. It's on charge at the mo, I'll be bringing it back tomorrow to get it & the alternator checked.
« Last Edit: 22 August 2006, 14:41:04 by paulmccristall »
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wigan pier

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Re: Flat battery
« Reply #10 on: 23 August 2006, 05:35:42 »
I had exactly the same problem..turned out to be a faulty battery (6 months old) swapped it for a new VX one no problem so far (fingers crossed!)
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Re: Flat battery
« Reply #11 on: 23 August 2006, 06:56:34 »
I am convinced that these modern sealed batteries are inferior to the 'Old type' that you could top up with distilled water.

Batteries used to last me 10 years plus, these day's they seem to fail after 4-6 years.

Is it me..... ::)
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TheBoy

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Re: Flat battery
« Reply #12 on: 23 August 2006, 09:59:45 »
Quote
I am convinced that these modern sealed batteries are inferior to the 'Old type' that you could top up with distilled water.

Batteries used to last me 10 years plus, these day's they seem to fail after 4-6 years.

Is it me..... ::)
I think the larger constant drain due to the onboard systems are part of the problem.  Also, batteries are so much cheaper now (relatively speaking)
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nixoro

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Re: Flat battery
« Reply #13 on: 23 August 2006, 10:04:15 »
Quote
Quote
I am convinced that these modern sealed batteries are inferior to the 'Old type' that you could top up with distilled water.

Batteries used to last me 10 years plus, these day's they seem to fail after 4-6 years.

Is it me..... ::)
I think the larger constant drain due to the onboard systems are part of the problem.  Also, batteries are so much cheaper now (relatively speaking)

I'm guessing this is due to cheaper parts that make up a car battery. Although you probably already know this.  :)
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Bo Bo

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Re: Flat battery
« Reply #14 on: 23 August 2006, 14:19:40 »
Well I charged it overnight, took it to get checked earlier & every thing's fine.
It's holding charge, no dead (or failing cells apparently) & the alternator's putting out about 13.7, so the problem seems to be intermittent, it last happened in February.
I remember being told once that when a modern battery dies you get little or no warning, they just go.
With older ones you would notice it struggling to turn over.
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