car not starting - help!

[e6geographer]

Hi all,

Car not starting this morning - just click, click, click.

Do I need to charge the battery up or is it something worse than that?

Any help gratefully recieved.

 

[GazHyde]

I would have thought a flat battery would be the first place to start. Has it been driven recently or left on the drive?

 

[e6geographer]

it was fine driving home last night.......

 

[GazHyde]

It's still possible it's flat. The most common cause I've seen for a flat battery is the light in the boot staying on, or possibly the interior light.

Have you got a charger, or jump leads to try and get it going?

 

[e6geographer]

I have a charger which I will use when i get home after work and see whether that solves the problem - everything i've seen on forums suggests that either the battery is flat or there is a connection problem somewhere maybe due to corrosion of the leads.

I am hopeful that it is the former and your reply has given me fresh hope so thank you!!!

 

[GazHyde]

Ah, the joys of internet forums and conflicting/panicking advice! Fingers crossed it's simple, and I'm sure someone more technical than I will come along and give thier views as well

 

[Aceman]

If you have not had any prior symptoms of a failing battery like slow cranking etc. then it is quite possibly the battery terminal need a clean. What can happen is the terminal gets slightly oxidised and creates a high resistance connection, when you go to start you are trying to pass high current through something that won't take it and it effectively disconnects itself from the battery. Take the connections off one by one from the battery starting with the negative that way you won't accidently short the battery if your spanner catches whilst undoing the positive terminal. Give the terminals a clean and reconnect positive first then give that a try.

If you are still experiencing the same I would say if it isn't the battery itself then you have a starter motor fault. Do the lights on the dash go out when you try to start the car if so then battery likely cause.

 

[e6geographer]

Thanks for the help. I'll do what you suggest as well as giving the battery a bit of a charge and see what happens - hopefully it'll sort the problem out one way or another.

 

[swamper]

or it could be the seat adjuster stuck on...been there done that

 

[badman gee]

yes sounds like battery drain.

 

[e6geographer]

I think I have found the problem - charged the battery and the car started fine - found that the boot light does not go out when the push switch is pushed in - have now disconnected the bulb as an interim measure. Will see how it is in the morning.........

many thanks for all the help today.

 

[badman gee]

I think I have found the problem - charged the battery and the car started fine - found that the boot light does not go out when the push switch is pushed in - have now disconnected the bulb as an interim measure. Will see how it is in the morning.........

many thanks for all the help today.

pleased for you

 

[heath]

I think I have found the problem - charged the battery and the car started fine - found that the boot light does not go out when the push switch is pushed in - have now disconnected the bulb as an interim measure. Will see how it is in the morning.........

many thanks for all the help today.

did you push the correct switch in ? The two black plastic ones on each side of the boot are not the boot light switches. The boot light switch is built into the catch, if you look at the catch on the boot lid you will see the part which pushes in, the part bolted to the car has a little spike which pushes the switch in


Heath on Tapatalk

 

[e6geographer]

Yes, pushed the catch in and the light didn't go out so I'm assuming this is the problem - battery held its charge overnight.

 

[stevie_a]

did you push the correct switch in ? The two black plastic ones on each side of the boot are not the boot light switches.

I have seen these, What are these for??

 

[heath]

did you push the correct switch in ? The two black plastic ones on each side of the boot are not the boot light switches.

I have seen these, What are these for??

Not sure but they look like they are there to lift the boot lid slightly when you press the button to open it as they have quite a strong spring on them or maybe even to keep the boot tight & vibration free when closed or maybe both


Heath on Tapatalk

 

[Titan]

Yes Heath that is correct
(I've also removed your double post)


Z3nt from m'iPhone on Tapatalk