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  • Ford Fiesta (1995 - 1999) - 96 1.1 Flat Battery 26 Jul 2009 (Forum)
    She started fine, the charging light going out after about 5 seconds. It has had a new alternator fitted by the previous owner as he said the battery wasn't holding a charge. Today the battery went completely flat while my daughter was driving it. The RAC man said the battery was showing 7.1v and, in his opinion the charge light wasn't working at all.
  • Ford Mondeo II (1996 - 2000) - 98 2.0 Battery flat - electric seat the cause? 31 May 2009 (Forum)
    Ghia X with new proper size Varta Battery. No sign of any problems but came out today to a totally flat battery. Not even an internal light. Meter on the terminals confirms it is flat. Lights were not left on. Cause at this point unknown.
  • Mini Flat Battery : o ( 11 Jun 2007 (Forum)
    We bought a Mini three months ago, a 1991 998cc. After a while the battery died so we bought a new one which was fine for a week or so, got progressively slower turning the starter then was flat. Check for anything that could be draining, removed interior light bulb. Gave it a good trickle charge and in the interim fitted a battery isolator switch which has been used every time the car has been left.
  • BMW 318 ci - Why no power? 3 Mar 2006 (Forum)
    She returned from weeks holiday(car parked at airport) and whislt driving home the car lost all power and battery light came on. The car eventually started again and she return home She took car into BMW dealer who check battery and alternator. They found battery had low charge so re-charge and said should be ok.
  • is my battery dead or something worse? 13 Sep 2003 (Forum)
    While I was driving, the electrics were not 100%, e.g. opening the el. window made the headlights dim. Overnight, I borrowed a battery charger and attached it to the battery, but after half an hour or so, the charger reckoned the battery was fully charged, but still no joy with starting the engine. I'm a bit clueless and hope to get a bit of advice before I take a garage's word for it that I need a new this and that.
  • Do plug-in hybrids self-charge while driving? 10 May 2021 (Ask HJ)
    Does a plug-in hybrid have any self-charging capability?
  • How far and for how long do we need to drive our car to keep it in good condition? 11 Jan 2021 (Ask HJ)
    Being retired and benefitting from home deliveries during the latest COVID-19 restrictions, our 2017 Ford Fiesta has remained in the garage for some weeks....
  • Have you heard that fast charging fries EV batteries after 40 charges? 11 Dec 2020 (Ask HJ)
    I've done a lot of reading by various car writers on the subject of EV range and how it differs a lot from the makers' figures. The thing I'm more interested...
  • Should we drive our car on a roundtrip to prevent a flat battery during self isolation? 26 Mar 2020 (Ask HJ)
    Our new car will be parked on our drive during the next 12 weeks due to our self isolation. What should we do to keep it in good overall condition? Should...
  • My Rover 25 keyfob won't work - why? 5 May 2013 (Ask HJ)
    There seems to be a problem with the locking system. Battery was bought new 10/09/12. Alternator belt 'went' and battery dead as a dodo 03/03/13. Alternator...
  • “It’s draining - draining in my car.” 29 Dec 2012 (Ask HJ)
    We have a Honda Jazz Hatchback 1.4 i-VTEC EX, purchased September 2011, when 18 months old. During the first 6 months we had to have the battery replaced...
  • Are Mazda 3s known for being susceptible for battery drain whilst parked for a few weeks? 15 Feb 2011 (Ask HJ)
    Illness and zero degree weather meant that I did not start my 2009 Mazda 3 for three weeks. When I tried to start the vehicle the battery was flat. The...
  • Ford Focus (1998 - 2004) - 99 1.8 Starting issues - crazy dials - battery pro 15 Jun 2008 (Forum)
    At 80k miles on the original battery, I'm obviously overdue a replacement so I'm happy to replace it as a first attempt to sort this out as it's likely I'll need to replace it fairly soon anyway, but it's odd that a fully charged battery is still causing problems - I don't really know enough about car batteries and how they behave, but I wonder whether a new battery will behave any differently ?
  • What replacement stop start battery would you recommend? 8 Aug 2024 (Ask HJ)
    What replacement stop start battery would you recommend for a Mazda CX-30?
  • Citroen Berlingo Multispce 1.5 HDI adblu Feel 2015 - Battery /alternator problems Need Help please! 17 Feb 2022 (Forum)
    Still not charging battery. Mechanic baffled? Before I take to a Citroen specialist has anyone had this problem . ECU remapping has been mentioned to solve problem??  Tempted to get another vehicle if this is going to be an unreliable car situation for me as run an emergency pets to vets service and breaking down with battery problems is not an option.
  • Can trickle chargers be used with stop-start engines? 3 Apr 2020 (Ask HJ)
    Due to the coronavirus, I want to ensure that my car battery stays charged. The advice seems to be to use a trickle charger. I've noticed that many trickle...
  • What is the cause of the electrical leek in my Fiat Idea? 20 Apr 2017 (Ask HJ)
    My 2005 Fiat Idea automatic has an electrical leek problem. It doesn't hold its charge. If the battery is fully charged but the car is not used, the battery...
  • I changed the battery in my 1994 Mazda MX-5 and now it won't start - what could be wrong? 17 Feb 2017 (Ask HJ)
    I recently fitted a new battery on my 1994 Mazda MX-5 after making a few small journeys and it started with no problem. I returned home and within half...
  • Vauxhall Vectra C - Battery Drain 23 Apr 2016 (Forum)
    Hi Guys I have had a slow battery drain on my Vectra for about a year. If left for about 1-2 weeks its goes totally dead. Have replaced battery and still same thing happens Today I have investigated it a little bit. I found that F31 in the engine fusebox was drawing 60mA when the car was asleep.
  • Mini One 2003 - ECU Battery? 21 Feb 2016 (Forum)
    They tell me I need a new door latch but I am reluctant to spend any money on the car as I am selling it for Spares or Repair. They refused to fit an isolator switch to enable me to stop the fault from draining the battery when the car is not in use. Their reason being that "they think" the ECU has a back up battery so I will only wear that down if the main car battery is disconnected. Does any one know if a Mini One 2003 contains a back up battery within the ECU??
 

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