1995 Hyundai accent 1.5 auto - Battery dies on starting!!! - madonmotorhomes

Hi all can anyone help??

I have a 1995 Hyundai Accent 1.5 auto, had it couple of years, only use it as run around (trips to dump etc) Been a great little car sits for weeks and weeks on end starts first time everytime or did!

Last week used it all day no probs, stopped at takeaway on way home to pick up some food, got back in car turned key it turned over no probs but wouldn't fire, eventually started on 4th attempt, strange i thought but got home parked up thought no more about it.

Car hasn't been used since. This morning I the central locking didn't work, put key in completely dead no dash lights at all. Checked main fuse, ok. put new another battery in car turned over couple of times and died dash lights faded out completely after few seconds. put meter on both batterys completely life less no reading at all, yet second battery was fully charged before installing it!

Anyone got any ideas as to what the problem might be?

1995 Hyundai accent 1.5 auto - Battery dies on starting!!! - elekie&a/c doctor
I think you have a battery problem.Get them tested properly.It is not possible to check them with a voltmeter .A flat or faulty battery can show 12 volts.hth
1995 Hyundai accent 1.5 auto - Battery dies on starting!!! - madonmotorhomes

I have thought about that but both batteries are just under 2 years old the 2nd battery was out of my nephew's polo, he's away at uni, so it sits for 5 weeks at a time and we've never had a issue with it going flat, so i thought it would be unlikely that both batteries are duff but I will get them checked thanks.

1995 Hyundai accent 1.5 auto - Battery dies on starting!!! - Peter.N.

I to would have said batteries but check the earth connection from the battery to the engine/gearbox for tightness.

1995 Hyundai accent 1.5 auto - Battery dies on starting!!! - madonmotorhomes

Hi and thanks for the reply,

Have checked/cleaned/tightened earth strap but it was good anyway.

Batteries were tested with a meter designed to test a charge in a battery but was so low it didn't read!

Have charged and reinstalled the battery from the polo and car starts fine.

So i'm thinking starter motor on the Accent......... could there be an internal short once activated......( not even sure thats possible) any other ideas anyone?

1995 Hyundai accent 1.5 auto - Battery dies on starting!!! - elekie&a/c doctor
"Battery so low it would not read".So why would you want to change the starter motor?
1995 Hyundai accent 1.5 auto - Battery dies on starting!!! - Robin the Technician

Clearly this is a battery issue. Putting a 'supposedly' charged battery on a car and by turning the key for a few seconds would not flatten the battery so it is completely dead. You say that you fully charged it and put it back on the Polo - but did you try it on the Hyundai first? It probably would have started ok.

From what you say you've killed the old battery by short runs. Best thing is to invest in a new battery - i bet it will start no problems then.

Hope this helps

These are the views of Robin the Technician - I fix, therefore I am