Car wont start

hallelujah

Hi all,

I am having car problems. At the weekend my car wouldn't start. When I turned the key nothing happened. I used some jump leads to start it but when I was driving the car it didn't seem to be running well. It felt as if it was going to 'conk out' any minute. Also, the lights wouldn't turn on. This also happen a couple of months ago but the jump leads fixed the problem. The car is '02. Does any think its just a battery issue? Do I need a new one? How much do they cost?

Thanks,
Jeff

--amadeus--

Get it to a garage and get it fixed is the best advice.

It could be any one of a dozen different things but from your description I would suspect that either your alternator or your battery have gone (or possibly both).

If you jumped the car and drove it for a reasonable length of time (30 mins or more) then teh battery should have charged up again, allowing you to restart it. The fact it didn't means that either your battery isn't holding teh charge or taht your alternator isn't charging it. You can get a battery checker for a few euros at Aldi (or a motor factors) taht will tell you which is at fault. Battery is a quick home repair but alternator is a lot more difficult, depending on the car.

That said there are any number of other things that could be at fault - fuel pump, starter motor, plugs, fuel filter or electronics could all give the symptoms you describe (edit, just spotted the thing about the lights, def an electrical probelm)

mike65

Does the battery light show when the engine is running? Sounds like the alternator needs a rebuild.

Mike.

cjt156

6 years isn't a bad lifetime for a battery in fairness. The fact that you've had an issue with it before could mean its not able to hold charge. For the sake of the price of a new one its worth a try.
Its unlikely your battery would have survived a couple of months with a dead alternator.

--amadeus--

A lot of people seem to forget that a battery is a consumable, just like brake pads, and it does need replacing periodically. If your car is an 02 and still has teh original battery in it then it's probably due for replacement anyway.

hallelujah

--amadeus-- wrote: »

Get it to a garage and get it fixed is the best advice.

It could be any one of a dozen different things but from your description I would suspect that either your alternator or your battery have gone (or possibly both).

If you jumped the car and drove it for a reasonable length of time (30 mins or more) then teh battery should have charged up again, allowing you to restart it. The fact it didn't means that either your battery isn't holding teh charge or taht your alternator isn't charging it. You can get a battery checker for a few euros at Aldi (or a motor factors) taht will tell you which is at fault. Battery is a quick home repair but alternator is a lot more difficult, depending on the car.

That said there are any number of other things that could be at fault - fuel pump, starter motor, plugs, fuel filter or electronics could all give the symptoms you describe (edit, just spotted the thing about the lights, def an electrical probelm)

Thanks for the reply amadeus.

There has been a 'service needed' light on in my dash for a couple of months. I think I will cut my loses and get the car serviced. I have a feeling it will cost me a good bit. The starting issue seems to be the only thing wrong with it but I'm sure Mr. Garageman will find more

hallelujah

mike65 wrote: »

Does the battery light show when the engine is running? Sounds like the alternator needs a rebuild.

Mike.

Yes, the battery light is showing..

hallelujah

Thanks for the replies everyone.

What do people think?

Do I:

Replace the battery?

or

Be safe and send it to the garage for a full service considering it needs a service?

Financially I would prefer just to replace the battery but if it needs a service it needs a service.

How much would both options cost?

cjt156

It needs a service.

It also needs a battery.

It may need an alternator.

Cars need maintenance, ignoring service intervals is just storing up trouble and is never cost effective in the long run.

hallelujah

cjt156 wrote: »

It needs a service.

It also needs a battery.

It may need an alternator.

Cars need maintenance, ignoring service intervals is just storing up trouble and is never cost effective in the long run.

*sob*

You are probably right.

How much would a typical service + battery cost?

Captain Slow IRL

Why change an alternator without checking the belt first?! A slack or worn belt can bring on the battery light as well and it'll be much cheaper to investigate this first!

--amadeus--

land9 wrote: »

Why change an alternator without checking the belt first?! A slack or worn belt can bring on the battery light as well and it'll be much cheaper to investigate this first!

Which neatly brings us back full circle to my original point - get it to a garage! There are potentially dozens of things that could be at fault and we can't possibly diagnose it on a BB.

As for how much, it depends on teh garage, the car and how much work needs doing. Get a written estimate off them in advance and ask them not to do any work beyond that estimate without calling you first. We can't tell you how much because we don't have the information here.

hallelujah

--amadeus-- wrote: »

Which neatly brings us back full circle to my original point - get it to a garage! There are potentially dozens of things that could be at fault and we can't possibly diagnose it on a BB.

As for how much, it depends on teh garage, the car and how much work needs doing. Get a written estimate off them in advance and ask them not to do any work beyond that estimate without calling you first. We can't tell you how much because we don't have the information here.

I think I'll go for the service. I like the idea of getting an estimate first and a call before any additional changes.

hallelujah

My car is a peugot. Do I have to go to a Peugot dealer garage or can any garage do it?

mike65

Any garage unless its tricky diagnostic stuff.

Mike.

GB15

Some motor factors will do a free battery test for you - it only takes a minute.

rebel.ranter

GB15 wrote: »

Some motor factors will do a free battery test for you - it only takes a minute.

However bear in mind that the fault in the battery could have been caused by a poor performing alternator. A battery €60-€100, alternator could probably be re-built €150 ?

Bring it to a garage to check that it's not just the battery that is faulty.

S.I.R

Its 1 of 2 things , either the alternator or the battery.

garages sell batterys with 100 charge for 25-40 euro

alternator puts you back over 100 and distributer is near enough the same.

Then again it could be something simple as:

is it daily driven

did you ever leave lights on by mistake

does it even run at the moment ??

lights left on without noticeing will burn your battery away also whatever you do , make sure you get the right size battery as i have some mates who spent 100+ on new alternators after getting ones too big.


stanard peugeot service is 148 euro ( main dealer on a 106.... though i saved 100 quid and done it myself... )

ofcourse differant models make the price veiry which gives me another question.... when was it last serviced because without a regular service ( every 2000 miles city driving or 3000 motorway miles ) the cars life is reduced dramatically unless its a nissan primera or saab 9000 which will go forever regardless.

--amadeus--

S.I.R wrote: »

...without a regular service ( every 2000 miles city driving or 3000 motorway miles ) the cars life is reduced dramatically...

:eek:

You mean every 20,000 - 30,000, right?!

MercMad

How can you start the post by asking why the car isn't starting/running well, but not include the fact that the battery light stays on ??

Do things in this order.

Go to a garage.
Get the fanbelt tension checked/corrected.
Get the charge rate measured.

Then based upon the reults of the above, buy any or all of the following, fanbelt/battery and or an alternator.

Get the car serviced properly, at least that way you'll know if the brakes/tyres/shocks etc are safe !

S.I.R

--amadeus-- wrote: »

:eek:

You mean every 20,000 - 30,000, right?!

Clearly not... but then again thats not a full service... i mean like an oil change... then after another 1k or so the air filter...

thats why if say you drove a deawoo and done as i instructed , you'd make it to 125k before engine rebuild

whereas if you serviced every 20-30k , id be surprized if the car even started :eek:

hallelujah

MercMad wrote: »

How can you start the post by asking why the car isn't starting/running well, but not include the fact that the battery light stays on ??

Do things in this order.

Go to a garage.
Get the fanbelt tension checked/corrected.
Get the charge rate measured.

Then based upon the reults of the above, buy any or all of the following, fanbelt/battery and or an alternator.

Get the car serviced properly, at least that way you'll know if the brakes/tyres/shocks etc are safe !

I only remembered that the battery light was one when one poster asked me.

I will bring it to the garage this evening.

I was quoted €190 for the service. This includes new filter, etc. My battery will cost €68.

Have any of you been to Appleyard Peugot dealer before? I am going to avoid them this time as they basically charge you for driving past the place.

The Novacastrian

my battery light came on over christmas, so I took off the alternator, brought it to a guy who rebuilt and checked it, basically he replaced the brushes...gave him 30 euro, brought it home, put it back on and car is still running like a dream.....total cost = 30 euro, but i love working on cars!!

--amadeus--

S.I.R wrote: »

without a regular service ( every 2000 miles city driving or 3000 motorway miles ) the cars life is reduced dramatically

S.I.R wrote: »

Clearly not... but then again thats not a full service... i mean like an oil change... then after another 1k or so the air filter...

thats why if say you drove a deawoo and done as i instructed , you'd make it to 125k before engine rebuild

whereas if you serviced every 20-30k , id be surprized if the car even started :eek:

Well first up your initial post didn't "clearly" say that you were only talking about oil changes.

Service intervals of 20,000 miles or up are not uncommon - see here for examples. on a modern, mainstream car servicing (even oil changes) more frequently than the reccomended intervals is pretty pointless.

As for claiming you need to change oil every 2 - 3k and air filters every 4k or so that is (with the greatest respect) total rubbish. Unless you are driving some wild piece of classic exotica there is absolutely no reason to change oil that often. I run a 60's sports car and I let it go 6000 between oil changes and even that is considered conservative.

E92

Peugeot petrol engines need a service every 20,000 miles or 2 years, whichever comes first.

OP you reap what you sow, poor maintanence of your car by you is why you are having all your problems.

I'm sorry but I've absolutely no sympathy for someone who ignores the fact that their car has had the service due light up for a couple of months, and then gets problems as a result. A week or 2 is not just forgivable but understandable, people can't always get cars serviced on the day the service light comes on, but to leave a car for a "couple of months" neglected and not servicing a car when it wants a service is negligance in the extreme.

Let this be a lesson to anyone else out there that thinks cutting corners with car maintance is a good idea or a money saver.

zilog_jones

Yeah I thought 6,000 miles or at least once a year (maybe twice a year for older cars) was the norm, for cars that don't have the crazy long intervals (are most new cars like that now)?

Dolph Starbeam

Well if it needs a service take it for a service, if the battery light is showing putting a new battery in might not sort it in the long run, have the alternator tested, can e done with a multimeter, have it checked to make sure it is putting out 14.4v. If its not then your alternator isn't charging the battery...

hallelujah

Shes in the garage. Poor thing. Was like leaving your first born to school Sep 1.

Got a call from the garage man. Its need a new alternator. Thats why the battery wasn't charging


Cost:
Alternator 175
Labour 80
Service 190
Possible new battery 68

The only positive is that there's a hot new girl started today in our office.

landcruiserfj62

a service??!!

...look.....just take to any garage, go to the service advisor, tell him what is happining in detail with your car (the alternator light, jump leads), ask him how much will a repair cost, and if you agree to a price, book the car in with him! There is absolutly no point looking for solid advice from a web forum for any car repairs.
that goes for everyone out there lol

mike65

andcruiserfj62 the first two to reply said alternator and it was. QED - we're great!

Mike.

neegie

ive just run into the same problem!! turns out the acid's leaked out of my battery.. (could be the same thing) happened very suddenly!! id say you need a new battery (im ragin, i only bought the car last week!!!) good luck