I bought a new car battery January last year. Went to start my car the other day and it wouldn't start, i then jump started my car but my battery light is now staying on and my power steering wasn't working. I have fluid in my car for my power steering. Can you help in answering why my battery isn't holding its charge or is it something else that needs looking at. Thank you Rebecca

Hi

Ive not owned a B..

But most FIATs have electric PowerAssistedSteering (PAS)
This uses LOTS of power

This power is supplied by the Alternator

The battery is essentially 'storage'


A poorly performing alternator will struggle to keep the battery topped up.. even with the 'charge light' going out ok

I had a punto sporting.. same 1800 engine
It had a dodgy alternator and
the PAS wouldnt work on that until alternator started charging

Being the 'electrical circuit' of the car.. there are various things that COULD be at fault..
however.. lets discuss a basic test

Get hold of a 12volt test meter
Multimeters start at £5..and for this it doesnt need to be posh..


Ok

Check voltage across battery terminals..
Should ideally be over 12v (up to 13.2v)

IF you still have access to the 'jumpstart'vehicle .. even better

Good to measure the battery of that for reference

Ok..

So with car parked.. engine off.. should be @12volts

On a typical fiat.. the battery is well away from moving parts.. but just be wary of radiator fan.. 'fan belts' turning etc.

Start car..
With engine running you should see
@14 volts across the battery
(This extra power is from the alternator)

No alternator power.. you will be back to less than 13v


Do let us know.. Charlie

Need more info please.

What's the car?

Ok, you bought the new battery in January but has the car been standing ever since and you only just tried to start it now or has it been in daily use? You jump started it but the battery light is staying on. This would indicate either the alternator is not charging or there is a poor connection somewhere (which could well be why it's not starting?) Battery terminals and earth connections are favorite.

I'd start by checking the battery with a multimeter and see what state of charge it's in. If you get a good reading, say over 12 volts, leave the meter connected to the battery posts and try working the starter. What voltage is showing when the key is turned to the starter position.

If you don't have a multimeter try turning on the headlights. Do they light up? If they do then you would seem to have some sort of circuit present and a bit of battery voltage. So now try operating the starter. Do the lights go out? if they do you've either got a flat battery (too little capacity to sustain a heavy drain) or a poor connection somewhere. If the lights don't dim then there's a problem somewhere which is more local to the starter's circuitry.

Come back to us with that info and we may be able to help some more.

Good luck
Jock

Sorry i have a fiat 500 pop 59 plate. My car is in use pretty much every day but since this lockdown started my car then was turned over every other day or every third dsy and I last used my car Tuesday 7th April and then tried it the Sunday 12th April thats when it wouldn't start. Thank you

beautybeck27 said:

Sorry i have a fiat 500 pop 59 plate.

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No problem..

Exactly the same applies

Apart from the 1800cc

with something that's come on as suddenly as that I suppose it could be a "catastrophic" internal battery failure but my bets would be that it's much more likely a "simple" connection failure somewhere.

If it's a poor connection at one of the battery terminals you may be able to feel it getting hot (due to the high resistance of the poor connection). To check this just put your hand on the terminal and get someone to turn the key to the starter position. It might get very hot very quickly so be ready to let go in a hurry! If you do feel one or the other (pos and/or neg) getting hot then undo the trminal and give it a good clean up with some abrasive paper/wire brush/brillo pad/etc/etc. A bit of vaseline smeared over the terminal after reassembly will tend to suppress further contamination from building up.

Not knowing you or your level of ability/experience need I say that if you decide to have a go at any of this do take care. The engine may start unexpectedly with rotating and hot bits which may hurt you. There may be a residue of battery acid on the battery so wash your hands afterwards and don't touch your face, especially eyes, until you do.

I'm not so familiar with the 500 but our wee Pandas have a well known fault with the earth cable which connects to the body (inner wing) under the battery tray. It tends to corrode and can give rise to all sorts of problems including power steering gremlins.

Thank you I will have a look.

If you go on the Eurocarparts website and enter your reg details the look under batteries it will tell you what size your battery should be, like 063 equals 40 amp hour and 075 = 60 amphr etc. If you have a 40 when it should be a 60 it will struggle.

It READS like youve had 15 months service from the replacement battery.. correct ?

If it had an internal failure..
Even jumpstarting could be problematic

Check over the basics.. we will happily advise further

A bit over a week ago one of the elderly widows in our street knocked on our door to see if I could help. (I'm known to all around here as a "car person") The car won't go and I need to do a food shop said she. Battery was flat (not surprising as the car hasn't been out her garage in around a month). Put my charger on it - social distancing being observed and plastic gloves - and by mid afternoon she was off to do her shopping.

Yesterday morning she rang, won't start again and it's booked into the garage at 12.00 to be sorted. Can you get it going? Trundled up the street with my big spare battery and jump leads on a trolley, lots of curtain twitching I noticed, and the car jump started just fine (by the way, if you don't know, never make "serious" battery changes on Hondas - especially never disconnect or refit the cables - without removing the ignition key. It can seriously derange the communication to the imobiliser. It's a peculiarly Honda "thing" as far as I know?

Got a phone call thanking me for my help about an hour ago. It went to the main dealer who fitted a new battery. £130+ (It's a "tiddler" of a battery, one of the smallest I've seen and not stop start) £47.02 from GSF and maybe a bit less than that from my trade source. On the other hand I'm sure it'll be a good quality product they've supplied and she needs the car to be reliable.

Pugglt Auld Jock said:

A bit over a week ago one of the elderly widows in our street knocked on our door to see if I could help.

Got a phone call thanking me for my help about an hour ago.

Click to expand...

Further to the above. I was doing some more gardening yesterday - digging up some lilies to stop them spreading. My digging tools I keep in the garage and I was working in the back garden. When I'd finished I went round to put the tools back in the garage and found a supermarket bag leaning against the door. What was in it? A box of Thorntons chocolates and a bottle of Prosecco with a thank you note for helping with the car. I rang up to thank her and express the opinion that it was out of all proportion to the assistance rendered where upon she said that the choccies were for me as she knows I don't drink but the Prosecco is for Mrs J for allow her to "borrow" her husband.

We are so lucky with our neighbours here. Thursday evening clapping sessions for the NHS are turning into a real event with everyone enthusiastically joining in - someone was playing the pipes in the next street night before last - We are all watching to see that our older neighbours are at their windows. Mrs J has found two saucepan lids which make a right old din!

We are so lucky with our neighbours here. Thursday evening clapping sessions for the NHS are turning into a real event with everyone enthusiastically joining in - someone was playing the pipes in the next street night before last - We are all watching to see that our older neighbours are at their windows. Mrs J has found two saucepan lids which make a right old din![/QUOTE]

1ST week there were fireworks

Last week just the 1 rocket.. but more pots and pans

Im tempted the set up 2 dustbin lids on an old swing frame (ala Rank films..)

But what do I put on the headband..?