What's going on with the battery of my Zafira?
Hi. I drove my car, a 1999 Opel Zafira without a fanbelt for about 10km after which I replaced the fanbelt. The battrey that was discharged quickly charged itself. Some days later the battery discharged and even after I recharged it it still discharged again. So I replaced the battery after confirming that the alternator was ok and still am having the same problem. What can I do? Is there a possibilty that the alternator is not providing enough charge to charge the battrey? How can i test the charging terminals of the car with a multimeter to know if it is in order? Thanks
Ndukwe Peter (Abuja )May 2013 Filed under: electrics
Expert answer
Hi Peter,
It certainly sounds like the alternator is not doing its job. Could you have disturbed the wiring from it when you fitted the fanbelt? Easiest way to check is to check the voltage across the battery terminals with a multi-meter while the engine is running. It should be well over 12V if it is charging.
Please be careful doing this though and only if you're confident working under the bonnet. If you're not, best leave a qualified mechanic or auto electrician have a look.
Let us know how you get on.
Do the batteries in the Lexus GS 450h need to be replaced?
Do the batteries in the Lexus GS 450h hybrid need replacing? Will there be a big expense in the near future?
Tony Higgins (Tralee)Apr 2013 Filed under: warranty
Expert answer
Hi Tony,
Lexus offers a five-year warranty on the battery, but a spokesperson confirmed to us that they expect the battery to last the lifetime of the vehicle.
Hope that reassures you
What's wrong with my Renault Laguna?
Hi, I changed the battery in my 2008 1.5 dCi Renault Laguna and now I have no power at all. It won't switch on, doors not locking, windows, or lights nothing works. The only thing that is working is the power steering buzzing and you can turn the wheels. What would have happened?
Tom Corcoran (Bagenalstown)Apr 2013 Filed under: electrics
Expert answer
Hi Tom,
Power steering aside (that's strange...) it really sounds like you might have connected the battery incorrectly or shorted the battery somehow. Have you any way to safely test the battery?
If you're not confident in finding the problem for yourself we'd really recommend you get an auto-electrician or a mechanic to take a quick look for you.
Let us know how you get on.
What's causing my Mercedes battery to drain?
My 2004 Mercedes-Benz M 270 CDI is discharging the battery within two hours when parked up. It has a new battery, the sam units, alternator, interior overhead lighting, door sensors and dash clocks were all checked and none of these seem to be the problem. Have you any suggestions to what may be the cause of this?
Shane Evans (Cork)Nov 2012 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Shane,
This is a job for a really good auto electrician to find, but we do know that some Mercs have such an issue caused by a CD changer. The only way to stop it appears to be physically unplugging it from the car! Take the car to an auto electrician and tell them that and they may find a way to install a switch for it or to fix it properly...
Hope that helps
Common faults with the 2004 BMW 520i?
Any common faults with the 2004 BMW 520i?
Karl Ohara (Citywest)Sep 2012 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Karl,
That car is getting on now, so it's unlikely to be perfect.
Known issues with the 2.2-litre model include a fixable oil leak from the transmission, faulty electric adjustment for the seats (if fitted), clonking from the rear of the car when moving away from rest, unexpected battery discharge and starting issues caused by the steering column lock control module.
Otherwise it's a fairly robust car. Most of the issues above can be fixed inexpensively.
Should an automatic Fiesta drain its battery more?
Does an automatic (i.e. Ford Fiesta 1.4) take more out of a battery than a manual?
Frank Dodd (Dublin)Sep 2012 Filed under: automatic
Expert answer
Hi FD,
We can't see why it should unless there's something wrong with it or its alternator.
If you have a problem come back to us and we should be able to help.
What is the performance of the Renault ZOE?
What is the kw/km performance for the new Renault ZOE electric car?
Denis Mulcahy (Dublin)May 2012 Filed under: electric cars
Expert answer
Hi Denis,
We put this question to Renault and the official response was:
According to NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) ZOE has a range of 200km, but in real use it will be around 150km as the range is influenced by:
- the speed;- the driving manner ;
- the road profile;
- and the use of heating or air conditioning
ZOE's top speed is 135km/h and the battery capacity is 65kW.
We hope this helps.
What do I do about my dead Saab key?
The key for my Saab 9-3 has stop working and the car seems to be dead now with nothing coming up on the dash when the key goes in. Also, as I live in Donegal and there are no Saab dealers here where do I go from here?
Annette Conaghan (Letterkenny)Apr 2012 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Annette,
First thing to try is changing the battery in the key. Hopefully it's as simple as that!
If not, come back to us again...
Why won't my Skoda Octavia start?
I have just bought a 2006 Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDI Elegance and now it won't start. It turns over and the battery went flat so I replaced it with a new one, but it still wont fire up. The glow plug light goes out and the dash lights are working fine. Any ideas?
Cheers
John
John Westbrook (Folkestone)Feb 2012 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi John,
As discussed via email, you need to determine that a) the electric fuel pump in the tank is working and b) that fuel is getting to the engine. These are intricate jobs that only a qualified mechanic should attempt. Given that your car was rear-ended, it's highly likely that the issue is related to the fuel pump in the tank.
Failing all that get an auto-electrician to go through the relevant fuel pump relays and fuses.
Hope you get sorted.
Opel Astra CD/battery problem
Hi guys.
Do you know anything about a "known" problem with 2005 model Opel Astras whereby the motor in the console mounted CD player stays on when the ignition is off and eventually drains the battery? I know two family members suffering the same problem. Do you know if there is anything that can be done to fix it?
The only option Opel gave is to replace the whole console, but the problem will eventually happen again. Both cars are out of warranty so Opel dealers don't want to know and have only offered to replace the console at huge cost. Any ideas lads?
Love the site by the way.
Tom
Thomas Leonard (Laytown)May 2011 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Tom,
This is something that we have heard of before, but what we were told is that it was the radio at fault, as it switched itself on randomly and therefore drained the battery that way.
We found a UK thread on the topic
Let us contact Opel on your behalf and see if they have a solution and we will come back to you on it.