Focus Electrical Problem

[refuzion]

I've just gone to start my 99' Focus TDI to run down to our local shop and there seems to be soem sort of electrical fault

I put the key in, turn it until the dash lights up but instead of just lighting up the needles on the dials start to go a bit insane, bouncing around a few times until they stop on 0. Then when the key is turned to start the car, all the lights go out.

I've had a quick look around the engine and nothing seems to be loose. I've just came back from a 60 mile trip from work and the car was working perfectly. It only passed its MOT last month.

Anyone have any idea what it might be? I think I'm going to call my breakdown service as I need the car for work tomorrow.

Steve

 

[Entai]

TBH it sounds like a flat battery to me.

It is not totally dead there is enough in it to get the dash lights on but not enough to actually turn the car over and the extra load on the battery, trying to turn the engine over, makes all the lights go out as well.

Either charge up the battery you have or get a new one, then you need to check that the alternator is putting charge into the battery, and /or find what is making the battery go flat.
It may just be old age, of the battery that is, they can just cop out at any time with no warning, or there may be a problem somewhere else on the car draining the battery.
Either way you will not be able to find it untill the present battery is fully charged or you get a new one.

 

[refuzion]

**update**

I've just been out to try it again and to show my father what its doing and now its totally dead. When I turned the key this time there was a loud clicking noise, which sounded like a fuse blowing to me but to be honest I know nothing about this kind of thing.

The only thing coming on now is the cd player

 

[Acolyte]

Clicking noise will be the starter motor not having enough juice.

Recharge your battery mate.

 

[Entai]

The loud clicking noise is the solenoid trying to engage the starter motor, but as your battery is now totally dead there is not enough charge to even engage the starter and get the stater motor to spin.

Definately dead battery.

Again charge it up, or get a new one, tehn find why it dies, it may be the battery itself, it may be another problem somewhere else on the car draining the battery.

 

[refuzion]

I've put some charge in the battery using my neighbours charger and its started up fine, thanks guys!

Just one more thing though, my neighbour told me to leave the car running for half an hour or so to get some charge back in the battery. While the cars running I've noticed the ABS and what I believe is the traction control light keep flickering off and on, is this simply because of the low charge in the battery? Or would it have upset something in the engine management box?

Thanks for your help.

 

[blueboy2001]

The ABS and TC systems are quite sensitive to voltage and are designed to turn themselves off if the voltage drops.

Batteries don't generally go flat for no reason, so it would be wise to get the alternator output checked and if that shows OK then it would probably be wise to replace the battery - if its still the original Motorcraft one it should have an indicator on it - it looks like a little green or red ball behind a clear plastic window. Whilst you might get a bit longer out of it by charging it up there's always the risk the next time it dies is when you're in the middle of nowhere at night.

 

[PlasmaZombies]

It'll probably be a flat battery, had the same thing happen to me. Flickering speedo, starter motor trying to start etc.

 

[refuzion]

After I'd charged the battery up, and left the car running for half an hour I turned the car off again. As soon as I tried to turn it back on there was no charge in the battery. Surely there should have been enough charge in it to start the car again 10 seconds after switching the car off?

I'm starting to think the alternator may have gone because I was using the car most of the day yesterday with no problems, not even a battery warning light.

Either way, I'm going to pick up a new battery when the motor spares place opens. My only worry is I wont be able to get home from work later on because the battery wasn't the cause of the problem.

 

[Entai]

If there is plate damage or a short within the battery no amount of charging will get any life into it.

Batteries can just die, for no reason, it has happened to me a couple of times just like you are describing.

Get a new battery fit it to the car and then with a multimeter check the battery and the charging from the alternator.

With the new battery fitted and the engine NOT running if you measure across the battery you should get a reading of somewhere around 12 -13.5V with a brand new battery.

Now with the engine running but no lights or radio on or heater or anything else switched on, again measure across the battery, you should be reading approx 14 to 14.5V ish.

Then turn on your headlighhts to full beam, turn on the heater blower to full speed, turn on other electrical equipment, and read across the battery again with all this stuff on and the engine running.

This time you should be getting very close to the second reading you had around the 13.5 to 14 volt mark, it will be slightly lower than the second reading but it should still be higher than the base reading you first got with the engine off.

If all this happens as described your alternator and regulator charging circuit is fine.

TBH most likely is that the battery just died, as I said it has happened to me a couple of times. The last time was just after having climbed Snowdon and I returned to my car at 6:30 on an October sunday evening in the middle of nowhere, and it would not start, I had to ring for a mate to come and get me, it took him three hours to get there!!!

Next day I went back with a new battery and changed it, and it has been fine ever since.

 

[refuzion]

It seems as though the alternator faulty. I think I'm going to take it into a garage anyway for them to check it all out.

Any idea how long it would normally take for a garage to replace it? I really need the car fixed for about 2pm at the latest.

 

[Entai]

It seems as though the alternator faulty. I think I'm going to take it into a garage anyway for them to check it all out.

Any idea how long it would normally take for a garage to replace it? I really need the car fixed for about 2pm at the latest.

Not sure really with a Focus, but I would have guessed no more than an hour or two at the most.