Car problems, any ideas please *update*

[Perthite]

I would also recommend using a local garage rather than a dealership. Huge difference in price for the same thing.

[boo2]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and advice.
I’ve just checked the oil and it’s fine. We decided to take the car for a reasonable drive and have DH driving behind just in case!
Just as we were about to leave the windscreen wipers stopped working as well so suspected it was either a catastrophic electric issue or the battery. 30miles in we pulled over, switched off the engine and then back on and all the lights have cleared and windscreen wipers also working.
Hopefully that has resolved it and I will probably either give it a good drive occasionally or better still charge the battery with one of those nifty little devices that someone suggested.
Anyway DH thinks Dibb has encouraged a lot of spending over the year but it also saves money😊

[kiwiinabd]

Originally Posted by boo2

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and advice.
I’ve just checked the oil and it’s fine. We decided to take the car for a reasonable drive and have DH driving behind just in case!
Just as we were about to leave the windscreen wipers stopped working as well so suspected it was either a catastrophic electric issue or the battery. 30miles in we pulled over, switched off the engine and then back on and all the lights have cleared and windscreen wipers also working.
Hopefully that has resolved it and I will probably either give it a good drive occasionally or better still charge the battery with one of those nifty little devices that someone suggested.
Anyway DH thinks Dibb has encouraged a lot of spending over the year but it also saves money😊

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All points to a bad battery

I think you may find the battery is at the end of its life and when you come to start the car on Monday morning it will have the same problems again.

Cold weather, short journeys and a 4 year old battery point to premature battery death.

[boo2]

Originally Posted by kiwiinabd

All points to a bad battery

I think you may find the battery is at the end of its life and when you come to start the car on Monday morning it will have the same problems again.

Cold weather, short journeys and a 4 year old battery point to premature battery death.

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At least I know what it is now and nothing more serious. New battery I can manage. £124 to tell me I need and new battery, followed by the cost of a new battery= a waste of money😊

[duncanb]

Its clearly a poor sensor somewhere, not battery as cars turns over , the classic battery fault.
As all sensors link to engine ECU that's where fault lies, however very hard to find but luckily most are irrelevant.

[400ixl]

Symptoms don't point to a faulty sensor unless it is a battery condition sensor.

Too many systems which are dependent on the battery condition to be other systems sensors.

First real drop in temperature is a common time for these issue to start to occur when a battery is on its last legs. Especially these advanced batteries for stop start cars.

[Neil & Stella]

That's one of the problems with modern cars and their stop/start technology. The S/S does tend to eat battery power. Stella has got a Chrysler Ypsilon, which is basically the same tech as your car and her stop start hasn't been turned on for ages. The other thing is that the batteries for cars with S/S are a lot more expensive than you regular battery. Just checked on Eurocarparts and a regular battery is around £90, while a battery designed for S/S is over £300. Worthwhile shopping around and most importantly avoiding the main dealer, as they will charge you an at least one arm and one leg.


Just make sure that you get a S/S battery when you do get around to changing it or just manage with the S/S.

[boo2]

Originally Posted by duncanb

Its clearly a poor sensor somewhere, not battery as cars turns over , the classic battery fault.
As all sensors link to engine ECU that's where fault lies, however very hard to find but luckily most are irrelevant.

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I’ve just had the battery changed but the faults are still happening. It’s not at the start of a journey it’s sometimes after about 15-20mins of driving. There doesn’t seem to be any change in how the car is driving.
Now I need to find a local garage. The one I had recommended seems to be very busy and hasn’t got back to me.

[Stitch & Smudge]

If you’ve had the battery changed and the issues are still happening it could be pointing towards the alternator or some other part of the charging system. Don’t fret about replacing the battery though as with the age and low mileage it would most likely soon require changing anyway. Get yourself a cheap OBD reader (Amazon a good shout) to check fault codes and reset them. I bought one years ago and between myself, family and friends it’s been worth it’s weight in gold.

[tspill]

My BiL has a VW Golf Hybrid. Had what sounds like a similar problem last week - dash lit up like a Christmas tree randomly and stopped dead.
Left it in to main dealer - said it was a "fuse issue". No idea what that meant and I would have been asking a lot more questions. But it is now fixed and that was the "explanation". Sounds like BS to me.