Afternoon All,

Unfortunately my 2005 MultiJet Panda no longer starts and I'd like to pick the collective brain of the forum!

I've looked through existing threads but am still stuck.

• A few weeks ago the remote locking stopped working.
• A week or so after this turning the key in the door would only unlock the driver door
• More recently the car wouldn't start, we jump started it once, after this it wouldn't jump start again
• Tested the battery which suggested it was flat
• Installed a new battery, started the car once and we're now back to the car no longer starting (with a new battery)
• Tested the new battery and it shows 6V (9V battery which drops to around 1.5V when attempting to start the car).

Has anybody had a problem like this before?

I'm going to charge the old and new batteries later this weekend and give them both a go but in the meantime any suggestions or thoughts very much appreciated.

Thank you - John.

Firstly, it should be a 12v battery. When fully charged it should read over 12.5v and not drop below 9v when starting.

Locking issues could suggest low voltage.
Where are you measuring the voltage? Across the battery terminals, or is the negative cable of the meter connected onto the engine or body?

When starting does the keycode light do anything?

Does it turn over, but not start?
Is it turning over slower than expected?
Does it not turn over at all?

A common issue on Pandas, and Puntos, is the main earth cable, goes from battery to gearbox and onto the body, corrodes inside its covering. The connections onto the gearbox and body can corrode. Take the cable off, check and clean all three connection points (including the battery terminal). Whilst off, check is is not broken along its length.

If trying to start with jump leads, use one of them to jump from battery to gearbox. This by-passes the earth cable and will show if that is the culprit.

Then check the main positive cable as well.

As Portland Bill.
If you measure the voltage on the battery terminals direct, then clip the negative lead to the engine block and measure again, there should be very little drop in voltage. If there is a big drop, your earth strap (gearbox) is bad. And that could account for your other problems.
Why not check that first as you have a multimeter?

Sweetsixteen said:

As Portland Bill.
If you measure the voltage on the battery terminals direct, then clip the negative lead to the engine block and measure again, there should be very little drop in voltage.

Click to expand...

for clarity - multimeter's NEG lead.. NOT the vehicles

Charlie - Oxford

That's like the air traffic control /pilot tragedy caused by difference between "Descend to nine thousand feet " vs "Descend TWO nine thousand feet "

Misunderstanding (while hopefully unlikely ) could have been unpleasant !

Whatever person sold the 9v battery for a Panda must have been a right cowboy ...Hopefully a new battery sorts this out .They don't normally give that kind of trouble .

Morning All,

Thank you portland_bill, Sweetsixteen, varesecrazy and ytareh. Much appreciated. Small mistake on my part, it is a 12V battery (phew).

Hoping to borrow my dad's multimeter this evening so will update when I know more!

Cheers - John.