So I have been driving my Stilo for the past month with no problems (other than the driver that is) and came accross a bit of a problem tonight.
Short drive of about 1mile, around halfway home driving uphill at around 30mph in 3rd gear, the electrics seemed to totally cut out. The engine was still running but my power steering went, the instrument panel went and the radio. Lasted around 3-4 seconds and then was fine.
Same drive, as I was parking her up my panel lit up with an ABS warning light and the little (!) that normally means the handbrake is on also. The handbrake was not on at that point. I thought that turning it off and on again might sort that (it does for most things right?) but alas, it turned off and is now totally dead. I appear to have no electrical power at all. The vehicle is acting as if my battery is disconnected.
My first thought naturally is to check the battery / contacts. I have a battery charger at my disposal but no multimeter / gadgets other than a couple basic tools.
Any advice as to how I can troubleshoot the problem with limited / no tools and little knowledge of the workings of an engine (Well, I know what bit goes where and roughly what it's supposed to do, but beyond that clueless).
I did google and had a quick search here but nothing seems to fit the symptoms I have. I did come across a thread about the idle control valve causing some problems and my car does seem to have some of the symptoms described there though.
Short drive of about 1mile, around halfway home driving uphill at around 30mph in 3rd gear, the electrics seemed to totally cut out. The engine was still running but my power steering went, the instrument panel went and the radio. Lasted around 3-4 seconds and then was fine.
Same drive, as I was parking her up my panel lit up with an ABS warning light and the little (!) that normally means the handbrake is on also. The handbrake was not on at that point. I thought that turning it off and on again might sort that (it does for most things right?) but alas, it turned off and is now totally dead. I appear to have no electrical power at all. The vehicle is acting as if my battery is disconnected.
My first thought naturally is to check the battery / contacts. I have a battery charger at my disposal but no multimeter / gadgets other than a couple basic tools.
Any advice as to how I can troubleshoot the problem with limited / no tools and little knowledge of the workings of an engine (Well, I know what bit goes where and roughly what it's supposed to do, but beyond that clueless).
I did google and had a quick search here but nothing seems to fit the symptoms I have. I did come across a thread about the idle control valve causing some problems and my car does seem to have some of the symptoms described there though.
