95 VW polo dead :(

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

Hi,
I hope this is the right forum for this.

I've a 95 VW polo 5dr. Its either a 1l or 1.1l, not too sure. I've been having some problems with the car randomly going dead. (no electrics etc..)

I've had the battery changed, and I've brought it to my mechanic who can't find the problem.

Today the car is completely dead. None of the electrics are working, lights, radio etc. Tried a new battery and still nothing. I've the car sitting in the driveway and no way of getting it to a VW garage.

I don't know much about cars, but if anyone has any suggestions it would be great thanks.

ambrose :cool:

mike65

I'm no auto electrician but I'd hazzrad that you have a "short" somewhere in the system, the result being the current from the battery leaks away as its being used by something even when switched off. I'm sure if it were a bad neg battery lead or similair your mechanic would have spotted that.

When you turn the key do the dash warning lights come on?

Mike.

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

Nope, I get nadda when I turn the key. Its completely dead!

ambrose.

JohnCleary

Seems to obvious.. but sounds like a bad earth. Had the same prob on my bike before, totally dead.. was just a bad earth.

Silvera

I agree, double check the battery leads and other electricial connections.

I would bet that it is something simple like a broke/faulty electrical connection.

Failing that try a different mechanic.

Where do you live ?
(I know a good VW mechanic in Kildare and an auto electrician in Saggart. PM me if you want contact details)

JohnCleary

Also look for corrosion... it is a 9 year old car after all

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

I don't know much about cars, so is there anyway I can check for a bad earth myself?
I wouldn't know where to start looking....

thanks
ambrose :cool:

Silvera

Start with the battery leads.
- Trace back to where the negative battery lead is 'earthed' onto the bodywork.
- See if it looks rusty/loose/broken.
- Check the positive lead connection on the battery back to where it is connected to the starter motor.

Then basically check any other wires that you can see which are connected to the bodywork.

It may also be worthwhile checking your fuse(s) in the fuse box. It's unlikely that it's a fuse problem - but you never know !

Failing this, get/try another mechanic.

Good luck !

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

Thanks Silerva,
Tried my best, but still nothing.

Does anyone know if a VW garage can do a diagnostic on the car. Stick a computer in somewhere and know exactly where the problem is.... or am I just dreaming??

I've been quoted about €100 an hour

thanks
ambrose :cool:

mike65

You dont need a franchise garage to sort this, you need a auto-electician who will have examined many cars with similair symptoms.

Check your golden pages...

Mike.

Mercury_Tilt

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Mercury_Tilt

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Elfish

merc wrote:

stuff it. I have some time on my hands....


Try the following.

Firstly throw a kettle of boiling what over bother the battery terminals. This will kill off any corrosion that might be effecting your motors battery output. No Joy?

DO NOT throw a kettle of boiling water over you battery terminals. Since when did hot water remove rust or corrosion? :rolleyes: Putting water over your terminals will short your battery if there is a wetness path between +ve and -ve (or +ve to earth anywhere) and you're more likely to end up with sparks all over the shop and one fried battery. If you want to get rid of corrosion nothing is better than simple old sandpaper and a little effort

Moral of the story - don't believe everything that is written on the net......me thinks too many armchair experts !

Elfish

merc wrote:

You could run an earth of the battery yourself to see if it fixes the problem..but thats easy to do..yet hard to explain

If you think the battery earth is dodgy, all you have to do to run an earth to the battery is:

Put on end of jumplead on -ve battery terminal.
Put other end to any earth point - any where on car body where metal is exposed (ie not painted). Head of a bolt going into body is usually a good starting point, but you can check whereever you are going to put it for continuity with a multimeter.

Whats so hard about that?

Mercury_Tilt

This post has been deleted.

Elfish

One other thing - if your battery is discharging for no apparent reason, the insulation covering wires may have broken down or worn out. I've seen this on bike around the steering head where wires wear out insulation with constant chafing against a surface when turning steering. I suppose it's less likely to happen in a car engine, but it's worth a look anyhow.

So check out anywhere wires might be prone to this due to vibration - you never know you might spot a wire that is earthing when it shouldn't be.

dcGT

Can you clarify something first of all, you say in your post that the car 'randomly' went dead - so it would start once and not start the next time etc.?

Also, you said you tried a new battery and that didn't solve the problem, but did the new battery work the first time you put it in, and then not work after that? What I'm getting at is, is the fault in the car draining the new battery too or does the new battery have sufficient power? Is your courtesy light working in the car?

DC.

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

Hi,
Thanks again for the replies. I tried to earth the battery, but didn't get anywhere. Now it was dark, and didn't have a light so i'll try again in the morning.

dcGT: Up until the very last time the car went dead, the car would only ever be dead before I started the car. On the last occasion, I had just started the car and was reversing out of the driveway when it died again. (this was the only occasion when the car was on, and died.)

Mostly what would happen is, I'd get in the car, close the door and the car would be dead. I'd close the door again and everything would be grand. (Clock would be at 00:00...)

I've tried my battery (the new one) on another car, and its works grand.

Is there any major fuses that could have blown, that would have caused this maybe?

Thanks
ambrose :cool:

mike65

kingambrose wrote:

dcGT: Up until the very last time the car went dead, the car would only ever be dead before I started the car. On the last occasion, I had just started the car and was reversing out of the driveway when it died again. (this was the only occasion when the car was on, and died.)

Mostly what would happen is, I'd get in the car, close the door and the car would be dead. I'd close the door again and everything would be grand. (Clock would be at 00:00...)

That casts a whole new light on matters. Clearly its not a current leak but something has come loose/semi-detached. I'd suggest its in the ignition electrics.

Mike.

dcGT

mike65 wrote:

That casts a whole new light on matters. Clearly its not a current leak but something has come loose/semi-detached. I'd suggest its in the ignition electrics.

Mike.

Precisely. That's why I was asking about it. It didn't sound like the problem was the battery at all.

@kingambrose - does your courtesy light work consistently?

DC.

dcGT

kingambrose wrote:

Is there any major fuses that could have blown, that would have caused this maybe?

Thanks
ambrose :cool:

I don't think it would be a fuse, as if it was, it would cease working completely and not work again until the fuse is replaced. This problem is intermittent and sounds like a loose connection somewhere.

DC.

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

Thanks again for the replies,
The mechanic came to take the car today. Stuck the rop on n all. Ready to go. Next thing he hops in and the car starts.... Couldn't bloody believe it.

He didn't bother to take it. So I hope I don't get stuck over the Xmas.

Thanks again.
ambrose :cool:

dcGT

kingambrose wrote:

Thanks again for the replies,
The mechanic came to take the car today. Stuck the rop on n all. Ready to go. Next thing he hops in and the car starts.... Couldn't bloody believe it.

He didn't bother to take it. So I hope I don't get stuck over the Xmas.

Thanks again.
ambrose :cool:

Don't think that because the car started that the problem has gone away. In my experience, these problems have a habit of biting you in the ass when you least expect it (e.g. in the middle of nowhere at 2am). I think you should get it looked at while the car is mobile.

DC.