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| Thread ID: 106879 | 2010-01-26 20:34:00 | Car Question | Bozo (8540) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 852286 | 2010-01-26 20:34:00 | Okey, so I'm not very mechanically minded and have got a spot of trouble with my car (Toyota starlet). Here goes.. H'okey, so after being away for 2 weeks I went out to my car but it wouldn't start - no lights on the dash, no nothing. Got a guy to come round with a jump-starter and after hooking that up the car still wouldn't start (but I had lights on the dash etc) and he said it was the starter motor, gave it a few taps and away it started. Took it for a nice long cruize to charge the battery and afterwards started/stopped it several times to make sure all was fine - which it was. Had no trouble with it for about a week, in which time I drove it numerous times. Then I went for a cruize on Monday to pick some crap up, started fine, but when I went back out to my car - nothing. :angry No lights on the dash, naught. Had to call someone again and he hooked his jump-starter to the battery and away it went (no starter motor issues this time). He tested the current from the alternator and he said it was charging fine (makes sense or I wouldn't have been able to drive it very far right?) and would either be a dying battery and/or starter motor. Drove home no issues, but when I got home and parked, tried starting it again - just a click, had lights on the dash but wouldn't start. So yea... he suggested taking the starter motor out and giving it a good clean and possibly replacing the battery (which is about 4 years old by now) so yea. Any thoughts? I think its fairly straight forward - stuffed starter motor and/or battery, just wanting to confirm :) |
Bozo (8540) | ||
| 852287 | 2010-01-26 21:16:00 | In our non mechanic experience if you jump start it and give it a long drive - the next step is usually swap a new battery. If that doesn't help there is something else wrong. Take the car to Marshall Battery for a free drive in battery test :confused: No appt needed. There might be some ways to assess the quality of the alternator. But the alternator does not need to be working to enable you to drive non stop. If the alternator is busted, you can get a jump start, a car jump or a stronger jump box is better than the weaker boxes. After a jump start you can drive from Taupo to Wellington non stop without a problem. If you stop for lunch it should be fine too cos the engine / battery is not cold yet. Leave it longer and it might not work. |
Nomad (952) | ||
| 852288 | 2010-01-26 21:26:00 | Another step, and it may already be too late is get the battery charged. Some garages, battery places will do this for you. I have a car I don;t use much, and after getting battery replaced, I bought a jump starter and did the long drive trick. Only sorted it for a couple of weeks (I usually go a month without drive the car). Have now got a battery charger where if I leave the car for over a month without driving I charge it up. Is working much better. I was chewing through a new battery in just under a year before I bought the charger. And also yes your start motor/alternator could be playing up and not charging the battery properly as well. |
psycik (12851) | ||
| 852289 | 2010-01-26 21:54:00 | Cheers for the replies. Well I'll grab a new battery and pop it in (can't hurt as the current one is about 4+ years old) see how we go, and also take the starter motor out and give it a good clean or grab another 2nd hand one and pop in. Pretty sure it isn't the alternator as the guy did test the current/charge it was giving and seemed to think it was fine and normal but yea - will see :) |
Bozo (8540) | ||
| 852290 | 2010-01-26 22:08:00 | So, have you tried cleaning the Battery terminals? Also check the soundness of the other ends of the Earth and Power leads (undo them and clean mating surfaces ) Another possibility is the wire to the Solenoid. try these before spending money on an auto-electrician But if the battery is as old as you say, it could well be poked |
KarameaDave (15222) | ||
| 852291 | 2010-01-26 22:23:00 | Yea gave the battery terminals a good clean but yea - battery is old. Meh, I just hate it when cars don't go - not really a big fan of mucking around with mechanical things - takes too much time away from WoW :p |
Bozo (8540) | ||
| 852292 | 2010-01-27 08:41:00 | Battery Terminals, nearly always the problem but what happens is people put in a new battery and it fixes the problem because the terminals have been cleaned when the new batt put in lol. | zqwerty (97) | ||
| 852293 | 2010-01-27 08:53:00 | The solenoid could be as suspect as the battery, considering your description might be either one or other | Ofthesea (14129) | ||
| 852294 | 2010-01-27 09:13:00 | If you're getting no lights on the dash & your battery terminals are in good condition & tight & your car starts when jumped, then your battery is stuffed. That's how they die nowadays. They give 100% for all their life & then 0% when deceased. | Phil B (648) | ||
| 852295 | 2010-01-27 09:29:00 | With no lights on, the battery must be so low. Battery stuffed, not sure about alternator. Or you left the lights overnight. I did that once :p $100 AA call out fee | Nomad (952) | ||
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