Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)
  • OT – flat car battery help please!
  • plumslikerocks
    Free Member

    Starting my Accord iCDTI has been a bit laborious a couple of times recently. Over the bank holiday weekend it hasn’t been driven and now it cranks but will not start.

    The original battery is the OE one, so 8 years old. I guess it doesn’t owe me anything so I was planning to nip straight out in my wife’s car when the shops reopen tomorrow and buy a new one.

    BUT I was having a nose around under the bonnet to look at connections, retaining straps etc and saw that the “battery condition” window still shows a green telltale. Should I investigate further before shelling out for a new battery? I have no reason to believe that the original battery hasn’t been charging i.e. no battery warning lights.

    It will be interesting to see whether this or a car forum comes up with an answer the most quickly!

    PiknMix
    Free Member

    Charge it?

    wysiwyg
    Free Member

    Got a multimeter?

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middlin...
    Latest Singletrack Videos
    TrekEX8
    Free Member

    As above, check battery voltage for starters…is the battery in the wife’s car similar for a temporary swap??

    spooky_b329
    Full Member

    It may be showing green for voltage, but its capacity (amps) could have dropped due to age, so when starting it will drag the voltage down.

    Eight years is good for a battery…

    user-removed
    Free Member

    Time for a new car I’m afraid.

    plumslikerocks
    Free Member

    cheers all

    hels
    Free Member

    Earthing belt ? That went on my car once, shonky AA man repair with some number 8 fencing wire did the trick.

    Northwind
    Full Member

    Is it a car you like and intend to keep for a while? A new battery on an 8-year old car isn’t likely to be a waste if you do. If you’re not sure, then investigate first.

    jock-muttley
    Free Member

    Peter Griffin Solution;

    Find a local pikey.. bung him £20 (at least half the price of a new battery) then have him & his mates do you over “pinch” your car keys (WINK, NOD, NUDGE)

    Your car found 20 miles away burnt out after having been involved in a series of aggravated burglaries…

    claim on insurance… end of battery problem. :mrgreen:

    Batteries are stored chemical energy the colder it is the worse they perform, if you have being doing a LOT of stop start in v cold weather (all electrics on full belt, high load not a lot of charging) then your battery would have taken a REAL hammering.

    Charge it, or jump start it and take your car on a long run see what happens. If however you do a long run at least once a week in your car then the battery may be waving a white flag..

    If however you do

    2unfit2ride
    Free Member

    I would look at the glow plugs if you battery is ok.

    Northwind
    Full Member

    Oh, sorry- I didn’t notice it was cranking. Cranking strong or cranking weak?

    plumslikerocks
    Free Member

    Cranking weak. New battery went in today. Started pretty well on the button. Drove 20 miles to work. Left it all day. Amazingly good starting at coming home time. Think the old one must have been weak for a while. One surprise benefit is that the car seems quicker and smoother now the engine management has been reset whilst powered down! All is well!

    argoose
    Free Member

    Might find it drives better due to less load on engine trying to charge failing battery.

    Thrustyjust
    Free Member

    Most cars have a keep alive memory, which the car relearns the way you drive it, so resetting, by disconnecting the battery, it may give you better economy as well. My Focus ST gets to 26 mpg after I reset mine !!

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)

The topic ‘OT – flat car battery help please!’ is closed to new replies.