Battery, alternator, or starter?

C

Colpro

Member
Last winter, the battery light would come on randomly. Stop the car, start again a few mins later and it wouldn't come on. Over the warmer months, I can't remember it happening at all.

This started happening again recently, but if I turned the key to position 1, for a couple of seconds, then started, no issues. The car never struggled to start, so I just dismissed it.

Over the last few days, turning over was sluggish so ordered a Bosch s5. Had to push start it the last 2 days until it arrived.

Just installed the new battery, jumped into the car and turned the key.....nothing 😒 not even a laboured turning over. I assumed if not the battery, then the alternator, but after this, possibly the starter motor?

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,

Colin.
 
Colpro said:
Last winter, the battery light would come on randomly. Stop the car, start again a few mins later and it wouldn't come on. Over the warmer months, I can't remember it happening at all.

This started happening again recently, but if I turned the key to position 1, for a couple of seconds, then started, no issues. The car never struggled to start, so I just dismissed it.

Over the last few days, turning over was sluggish so ordered a Bosch s5. Had to push start it the last 2 days until it arrived.

Just installed the new battery, jumped into the car and turned the key.....nothing 😒 not even a laboured turning over. I assumed if not the battery, then the alternator, but after this, possibly the starter motor?

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,

Colin.
Click to expand...

Get yourself a voltmeter & measure what you have going to the starter motor.
Rob
 
I think it all depends upon your driving style and overall usage of the car. By that I mean, generally in the winter months we all use more power from the battery. Lights, heaters, wipers and stereos all are used more in the winter months in comparison to the summer months. If like me your making mostly small journeys of less than 5 miles, your draining the battery before its had time to replace that lost energy. Over time that can give all batteries a battering. I personally would take it to your the garage, ask them test the efficiency of your battery and ancillaries. And act on their recommendations. I hope it helps :thumbsup:
 
Special Kay said:
I think it all depends upon your driving style and overall usage of the car. By that I mean, generally in the winter months we all use more power from the battery. Lights, heaters, wipers and stereos all are used more in the winter months in comparison to the summer months. If like me your making mostly small journeys of less than 5 miles, your draining the battery before its had time to replace that lost energy. Over time that can give all batteries a battering. I personally would take it to your the garage, ask them test the efficiency of your battery and ancillaries. And act on their recommendations. I hope it helps :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Read the post again, he’s just replaced the battery :wink:
Rob
 
Starter motors seem to die with no warning, had this with mine on the 2.5, fine the day before, next day nothing dash lights on with ignition but no crank. New Starter fitted and back to normal.
 
Magic, that sounds like mine with the dash lights on, then no crank. I guess I've got a nice new spare battery if nothing else, so far.
Wish me luck finding a garage that has space in the diary at short notice! 😏
 
Colpro said:
Magic, that sounds like mine with the dash lights on, then no crank. I guess I've got a nice new spare battery if nothing else, so far.
Wish me luck finding a garage that has space in the diary at short notice! 😏
Click to expand...

You need to check the voltage at the starter, the same symptoms can be caused by a faulty ignition switch.
Rob
 
Try giving the starter motor a couple of sharp taps with a toffee hammer. If it starts then your starter motor is on the way out.

And on a different note; short journeys - anything less than 30 mins will also be detrimental to the life expectancy of your engine, notwithstanding the the buildup of condensation which will not be evaporated off during a 5 mile trip which can contribute to the CCv system failing.
Get on your bike or walk those 5 miles fella!
:poke:
 
[ref]Colpro[/ref], whereabouts are you?
Starter motor is a pretty easy change. If you were near me I'd do it for you.
Pretty sure Stuart (Bigwinn) would help if you were near Lincoln too?
Probably others out there?

Wifey's did exactly the same. Just stopped! No clicks, no nothing. Clouting it did nothing either.
When I dismantled the old one to check the brushes it looked like this!
Starter motor.JPG
 
Oooft. Some state, that!
Very kind offer eunff_zed, but I'm based in Glasgow. I'll give the mechanics a bell this morning and hope they can get me in sharpish.
 
Colpro said:
Oooft. Some state, that!
Very kind offer eunff_zed, but I'm based in Glasgow. I'll give the mechanics a bell this morning and hope they can get me in sharpish.
Click to expand...
Ah yeah, tad too far for me.
Hope you get it sorted ok.
I used an RTX starter from EuroCarParts.
Others have used the same and they seem to do the job. Much cheaper than some others as well.
 
[ref]Colpro[/ref], don't dismiss Smartbear's suggestion of the ignition switch either.
Colpro said:
This started happening again recently, but if I turned the key to position 1, for a couple of seconds, then started, no issues
Click to expand...
This suggests that may be your problem?
 
Used a RTX replacement from Carparts4less which was the cheapest option, fitted that and starting restored, they do charge you a surcharge that is refunded when you send the old unit back to them. You have to contact them for a return code when you are ready to send the old one back. I did give the old one a smack or two with a hammer and that got it working again but after a few test starts it packed up so knew then it was duff and replacement required.
 
Chris_D said:
Try giving the starter motor a couple of sharp taps with a toffee hammer. If it starts then your starter motor is on the way out.

And on a different note; short journeys - anything less than 30 mins will also be detrimental to the life expectancy of your engine, notwithstanding the the buildup of condensation which will not be evaporated off during a 5 mile trip which can contribute to the CCv system failing.
Get on your bike or walk those 5 miles fella!
:poke:
Click to expand...

+1

Will tell you if that’s the culprit

Happy to help if you are nearby!!
 
Thanks Colb. I did a quick euro car parts check and it looked like that one was only about £45 at the moment. I see some are way more expensive than that, so if many have done that, I'll maybe ring the garage and ask them to put that, or a similar quality one in, rather than a top end/top price one.
 
Cross check the price on Carparts4less site, its the sister web only branch of Europarts, in most cases they are cheaper than Europarts.
https://www.carparts4less.co.uk/
 
Same price on CP4L, the ECP price is discounted to the same price, so usually higher.
I'll definitley check them again in future though. Thanks for the heads up.
 
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