Honda Civic - Battery terminal left loose ... | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

Sat 29 Feb 2020 19:19

Honda Civic - Battery terminal left loose ... - littlerussell

After a body shop repair a couple of weeks ago, the car wouldn't start this morning - just completely dead.

AA called, who found that the battery terminal was resting on the battery and making a very loose connection, not bolted on, and the terminal cover was sitting on top of the suspension housing a few inches away. It probably finally fell off when I pulled up on to my drive last night. They've provided me with a written statement of what they found to send to the bodyshop. The bonnet hasn't been opened since I got it back so definitely nothing to do with me!

Obviously will be writing a strongly worded letter to the bodyshop, but - hypothetically - what would have happened to a modern car if I'd been cruising along the fast lane of the motorway, on adaptive cruise control, etc, etc, and I'd hit a pothole which had disconnected it? I assume that I would have ground to a halt pretty quickly with no lights etc? Or would the alternator have kept the car going? How much at risk have they put me? Do I have any comeback given that nothing serious happened other than an inconvenienced Saturday waiting around for the AA .... ?

Edited by littlerussell on 29/02/2020 at 19:28

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Sat 29 Feb 2020 19:54

Honda Civic - Battery terminal left loose ... - SLO76

I’ve no time for this compensation culture nonsense. This was a minor mistake made by a member of staff that ultimately caused no harm. Let it lie.

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Sat 29 Feb 2020 20:04

Honda Civic - Battery terminal left loose ... - elekie&a/c doctor

I doubt if anything would have happened. Once the engine is running, the electrical systems are pretty much running off the alternator. Certainly an inconvenience, not much more .

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Sat 29 Feb 2020 21:22

Honda Civic - Battery terminal left loose ... - focussed

I would be a bit concerned as to what else they've left loose......:-)

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Sat 29 Feb 2020 21:23

Honda Civic - Battery terminal left loose ... - daveyjp

Do people really call the AA before opening the bonnet and having at least a quick look for any signs for what may be wrong?

Five minutes with a spanner would have saved waiting for them.

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Sat 29 Feb 2020 23:08

Honda Civic - Battery terminal left loose ... - Andrew-T

Agree with all the above. You can claim for something which has inconvenienced or cost you. Nothing seems to have, you just made no attempt to see what was wrong. A poor mistake by the bodyshop, but you probably aren't going there again ?

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Sun 1 Mar 2020 09:58

Honda Civic - Battery terminal left loose ... - Andrew-T

Do people really call the AA before opening the bonnet and having at least a quick look for any signs for what may be wrong?

Without wishing to offend, I guess a fair number of lady owners would probably do that if no male associate was available (there are exceptions of course) :-)

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Sun 1 Mar 2020 10:18

Honda Civic - Battery terminal left loose ... - Bolt

Do people really call the AA before opening the bonnet and having at least a quick look for any signs for what may be wrong?

Without wishing to offend, I guess a fair number of lady owners would probably do that if no male associate was available (there are exceptions of course) :-)

Not many I think, as my SIL called them once to open the bonnet as she had no idea where the lever was on the Fiesta, and never looked for it just called the AA

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