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I'm looking for some advice. I've not been in my car for 2 weeks and while I was away my uncle told me my alarm was going off due to a flat battery. Well today is the first day I've had to look at it as I've been ill since my holiday :(  True enough, the battery was dead so I got some jump leads and it started first time. I took it for a drive for 20 Min's to try to charge the battery back up. Everything seemed okay so then it was crunch time. I got home, turned the car off and she wouldn't start again. Just made a brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr sound. So, my questions are; if it was the starter motor, the car wouldn't have started with the jump leads?; Could the battery just be kaput?; Could it be the alternator :(?

thanks in advance for any help

Mad

Hard to tell from your "brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr" noise description.

I take it the car does not turn over?

Probably the starter motor - locate it and tap it a few times (quite hard) with a spanner or some such object - then try again.

Your alternator would be at fault if the car died while you were driving - ie the alternator wasnt charging the battery

Your battery would be at fault if the car wouldnt start after it had been left for a while.

Hi Mad,

I had similar problems with my car recently - turned out the battery wasn't holding it's charge.  If you can get a jump start and go to Kwik fit they will test the battery and the alternator for free.

 ;indestructable; ;indestructable; ;indestructable; ;indestructable;  Mechanics  ;hattip;

 ;applause;

and Kinboshi on eggheads

thanks for the replies guys.  

If it was the starter motor would it have jumped?  The BRRRRRRRRRRR noise is like a kind of fan noise and its a dry noise if that makes sense?

sorry i should have siad this noise happens when i try to turn it over

i'd say u didnt drive it for long enough to recharge a flat battery it would need a good couple of hours driving and 1 word of advice as to when you try it out after stopping park it up on a steep hill (pointing downwards)so if it doesnt start u can always bump start it........

Ok. so you think the battery just doesnt have enough charge then? I'm hoping so. ill maybe just leave it turning over outside for an hour and see what happens?

if it was just the starter motor you'd have got the same problem and same brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr noise the time that you jumpstarted it. as it started first time (and presumably without the noise) I'd go for battery problem

sounds like the best problem to have in this case:)   

cheers

not the best solution to leave it just on tick over as the more spped produced =higher ampage going through to the battery but if you have no other alternative i'd leave it for a good couple of hours

Mad if its the battery needs a charge i have a charger i can lend you, just bring tthe battery in to the house puh it in and it charges ina few hrs, saves on petrol and saftey of not having car nicked

Cheers Billy, I'll sort it tomorrow. I thought better of leaving the engine running because the church folk across the road are in service and one of those beggars would likely get off with it.....lol  They already dented my car and did a runner. Pesky christians  ;tk;  (no offence to any religious folk......i jest.........peace and all that....................)

If you battery has been heavily dishcarged , it might mean that no matter how much you charge it, some of the cells are just buggered, and it won't hold the charge.

If that's the case, you'll need a new battery (obviously).  If you do get a new one, check the date on the battery and go for the newest one of the kind you're after.  That'll mean you'll get the most out of it.

Of course, if there's something causing the battery to discharge, that'll need to be sorted first - otherwise you'll just end up damaging the new one.

Hopefully, the battery isn't damaged - and a good charge will sort it.

Thanks:) 

A little tip I learned many years ago. If you are going away for a period of time, holiday etc, is to disconnect the battery, not only does this stop it from being drained, but it stops your car from being stolen as well (unless they tow it away).

It could be a mechanic car thief who would look under the bonnet?

A second rate mechanic car thief then. The battery is in the boot in this case...lol:)

Thats cheating of the highest order hiding it in the boot.

Yes and it peeved me off no end today when I couldn't find it under the bonnet! The powers of deduction came to fruition though:)

I had a car once with the battery under the rear seats ???
Don't remember the model but it was pretty odd.

Hi mad my car wouldn't start a while ago and the alarm would come on after a while when trying to turn it over. It also made the same bbrrrrr noise. As the car was still under warranty I phoned the garage where i bought it who diagnosed a starter motor fault. This was rubbish(as I suspected, was a new car after all) Phoned my local mechanic and my hadn't shut properly and battery had drain. he gave it a quick charge and it was fine. Sounds as though you may have drained the battery completely. As it wouldn't start after a run may need a battery but prob best to get the alternator checked as well, just in case.

It was only 2 weeks and the battery went flat?

It was probably on it's way out anyway (or something was discharging it) and now it's been discharged it won't hold a charge very well - and also 20min won't be enough to recharge it.

Get a new battery for £40-50 ;)

Yes I'll do that today:)  It's a pain though and I just pray its not the alternator!

out of interest, what kind of car is it ?

Probably a beemer... ;)

also check earth strap is tight, secure

No it's not a beemer. Its one that looks like this -

Done. It cost £40 and I just hope its not the alternator now:) lol  Time will tell!

Thanks for everyones help  :)up

Such a girly car..........

Have you ever driven one?  I used to think the same, and then the missus got one.  It was an older one (the MKI with the pop-up lights), and was a cracking car.  Like a go-cart, and ultra-reliable (except for the battery it appears).  Fantastic cars to drive.

Mad - did you get a gel battery?  I wouldn't bother, they are less reliable as the 'normal' batteries and don't last as long.  If you do get a normal battery make sure it's properly vented in the boot and that it's well secured in the holder (so there's no chance of the acid leaking and damaging the car).

and what attracted you to that particular car dealership Mad?  ;whistle;