Car doesnt start

BruceLee

BruceLee

BruceLee

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Joined
22 May 2003
Posts
4,055
Well, I have a '96 Clio (16v) and although its a bit quirky its not too bad.

Anyway, a couple of months ago I had the alternator changed as the battery light was always flickering on, sometimes the car wouldnt start etc etc.

Car seemed fine for around a month but when i left it for a few days all the electrics (remote locking etc etc) wouldnt work and it wouldnt start.

I thought it was the battery so I bought a new one which has been fine for the last month until today when the same problem of all the electrics not working and the car doesnt start or attempt to turn over at all.

So, my question is:

What is causing the loss of battery? I noticed the few days before hand that starting the car it took a little more time each day from turning the ignition to it starting.

I only drive around 4-5 miles to work each way and dont often go anywhere other than work in the car.

Should I be looking at something in the car that could be draining the battery? I only have a CD player and standard speakers, nothing else that I could think that draws power.

PS, When I bought the battery I was told to buy the diesel version (buy the guys on the Clio forums) as this was better than the standard battery for my car, could there be some incompatibility with it (I would doubt it but who knows).

Any help appreciated as its driving me nuts, I cant understand whats drawing the power. :confused:
 
could be anything from another faulty alternator, a lazy starter motor (they can stick and become a amp drain) to a poor engine to chassis earth.

do you have a amp clamp?
 
dalin80 said:
could be anything from another faulty alternator, a lazy starter motor (they can stick and become a amp drain) to a poor engine to chassis earth.

do you have a amp clamp?
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Hmm, its a new alternator, starter motor hasnt been changed tho.

I get static shocks sometimes when getting out the car (its always been like that though), do you think its not earthed properly then?

Nope, dont have an amp clamp, whatever that is, unfortunately when it comes to cars I gave up trying to learn years ago, I screw too many things up usually (wait, thats my life in general...) by tinkering.

My friends dad is a mechanic (he changed the alternator 2 months ago) so I can speak with him, just want to try and narrow down the fault :(
 
sometimes new alternators are just duff mate.

do you have a multi meter? disconnect the battery negative terminal and check the resistance from the terminal you have removed (not the battery!) to the chassis and too the engine. then check resistance from the engine to the chassis. a poor earth=high resistance thus limited charging for the battery.

TBH mate theres a fair few things it could be.
 
Thanks, I will have a word with him tomorrow, he's fairly good with cars too so I will ask if it might be an earthing problem, will also see if he has a multimeter to try.

A really odd problem, might just get rid of the car and get something else.
 
dalin80 said:
well it is a renault so might want rid just to be on the safe side.





;)
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Ha, well I've thought that for years, its a temperamental SOB sometimes, and usually when I fix one problem another occurs. I am seriously thinking of getting a new car now but think this problem needs solving first otherwise I wont be able to sell it.

Not sure if this is relevant but whilst driving the car for example the electric windows wind up slowly.

After reading some other posts on different forums I am leaning towards maybe an earthing problem, had a quick look through my Haynes manual but to be honest it makes no sense to me. Am I right that theres an earthing cable from the battery to the car?
 
OK, took another look at it today, cleaned the terminals to the battery etc and it looks OK.

I checked the boot from inside and noticed that the boot light was on, even with the boot door closed, I am suspecting that this is the culprit for the battery draining.

I have disconnected it, I take it it now wont draw any current?

Have the battery on charge now so hopefully it will start up in the morning, just hoping that the boot light was the problem.
 
BruceLee said:
Am I right that theres an earthing cable from the battery to the car?
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er. yeah. the negative. on a car the whole chassis and engine is the 'earth'

a boot light would certainly drain the battery but for a little bulb they only need to be left on overnight to pretty much completely drain a battery.

if its disconnected no it wont draw a current, back in collage during electrics 101 'a circuit is not a circuit if its not complete' was the first thing we had to write down.
 
dalin80 said:
er. yeah. the negative. on a car the whole chassis and engine is the 'earth'

a boot light would certainly drain the battery but for a little bulb they only need to be left on overnight to pretty much completely drain a battery.

if its disconnected no it wont draw a current, back in collage during electrics 101 'a circuit is not a circuit if its not complete' was the first thing we had to write down.
Click to expand...

Thanks for confirming that, really should have paid more attention back in school :D I did think it would be the case if I just removed the bulb, just wanted to double check.

I found the cable from the negative battery point to the chassis and it looks OK to me.

Acolyte said:
Hi mate,

Join www.clio16valver.co.uk forums for help
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Thanks chap, will definitely do, I joined www.williamsclio.co.uk yesterday (had been a member on cliosport.net for years too) but I gave up looking after the car properly when I didnt have much money, the car can be a bit of a money pit at times....

Still, if the battery works tomorrow then I will be happy, just these odd problems that happen now and again drive me nuts..
 
Yeah they are, I've had mine for 6 years, and most of the time its been great, just when I get bored with it I take a drive that makes me like it again, its not the fastest car in the world but it can certainly shift it when you want it to.

Think I'm going to spend the Summer getting her back to a nice condition, its all standard at the moment anyway, never really wanted to change anything with it :) just a few bits that need looking at now I have the time.
 
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