Anybody help here,done an airport run for a friend,got back home,following morning went to start and all I got was dash lights flicking on and off and a clicking noise from under the bonnet. I checked the battery with a mutimeter and got 12.3 volts steady any ideas?

Where's T14086 when you need him?

bad/flat battery or poor engine earth.

have you tried a jump start?

(i'm always here )

Clicking from under the bonnet sounds like solenoid - starter motor not engaging so not spinning the engine.

The insulation inside the starter motor could be shot so when you try to turn the engine it'll send loads of current to earth - causing the lights to dim.

Thanks for that , battery ok,I turn the key just to the point where the dash lights etc light up, thats when the clicking starts, the gauges go up slowly then drop sharply down, when I turn the key as if to fire the engine up, the clicking stops and everything dulls down. Its the first time since I bought the car new in 2003 I have have had trouble with it,been to spain and back three times no problem .Thanks

What happens to the battery voltage while the clicking is happening?

:yeahthat:

still not convienced battery is ok,if wiring ok then looking at starter.....can you jump or push start it?

will check battery voltage while clicking and will also try jump start. Bit dark here now so will let you know what happens tomoro, again many thanks, john

dark???

Seems strange but check you haven't blown a fuse...

I blew the Hazard Light fuse not so long ago after fitting a towbar socket and my dials flicked up and down and a clicking sound could be heard, I also found that my 'Main Beam' light on the dash was illuminated and none of my electronics worked - thinking I had blown the body computer I replaced the fuse and everything worked fine again

I just hope that a hazard light fuse doesn't blow on anyone whilst they're driving

Ozzie1989 said:

blow anyone whilst they're driving

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I didn't know Gillian Tailforth had a Dobbie :devil:

LOL........took me a few seconds to get that one

Once upon a time, everything was so simple in cars, most problems could be diagnosed quyite easily & the most techy thing I had in my toolbox was a lightbulb with a couple of bits of wire - did my timing and testing circuits.
These days, you need a state of the art computer running full diagnostic software to tell you that the OSR ashtray needs to be emptied!

And then they have to input a special code to let the CPU know that they've emptied it otherwise the car won't start!

Engine management may have come a long way but the idiot drivers are still out there driving - and breeding.

True but these 'advancements' bring us better performance,economy & emissions.

T14086 said:

True but these 'advancements' bring us better performance,economy & emissions.

Click to expand...

My emissions haven't been the same since that chicken jalfrezi the other night


And come to think of it, my performance has been a bit off as well

sludgeguts said:

chicken jalfrezi

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whats that

It's a medium bumburner - not as hot as some but still quite spicy & rather tasty.

Hello all solved problem with not starting Doblo, Apparentely garages here do not pick up cars,you phone your insurance company who send a breakdown truck and transport it to the garage of your choice or the appropriate franchise, whichever is nearer. this they done (within half an hour of phoning)and the garage sorted it that day.
The report was defective connection to alternator plus ( as the moderator said) a defective battery which they renewed, this cost me a total of 95 euros inc iva (their vat) so I got off quite lightly. Thanks to all.

sounds like a really efficient service,
glad you got it sorted