My car won't start and when it does, I lose power steering. What's the issue?

I have a 2010 SEAT Ibiza. Occasionally it won’t start, so I have to jump-start it. Also, if I slam the bonnet down and the car is off, it will not start either. Today, I jumped it and it started but the power steering light came on. The steering was heavy so I turned it off and on again. It was fine but then the horn would beep randomly when driving! If you have any idea what could be wrong that would be great.

Asked on 1 December 2020 by Megan Baker

Answered by Keith Moody

It sounds like the battery either needs reconditioning or replacing. You can do this with the battery attached to the car using a trickle charger such as the CTEK MXS 5.0. Cold/winter starting requires about 70-85% of the battery's power to start the engine - if you're only driving short distances then the system won't be able to put enough charge back into the battery to keep it topped up. Would also check the battery terminal connections are tight as it sounds like they might be coming loose.

Tags: battery charging power steering battery drain

Similar questions

Can anyone change a Jaguar F-Type battery?

I own a 2018 Jaguar F type 3.0 (380) with 14,000 miles on the clock. Recently, I've started to experience battery issues. The car only does 2,000 miles a year and often spends three or four weeks without...

What power steering fluid should I use in my SEAT Ibiza 1.9 TDI?

My 2006 SEAT Ibiza 1.9 TDI has a steering fluid leak somewhere. I read it´s important to use the right type of fluid, but can´t find the type in the manual. Also do you know if using a ´stop leak´product...

Do I need to disconnect a car battery before charging it?

You've previously advised readers to disconnect batteries before charging them, in order to avoid damage to the electrics. However, I have, on a number of occasions, connected an old trickle charger to...

Related models