I want to cry or scream!!

johnswife

Wouldn't the alternator charge the battery when it starts?

(I know nothing about cars)

Inactive

I would try to get the vehicle to an Auto-Electrician, they will have the knowledge and equipment to test the system properly.

hewhoisnotintheknow

johnswife wrote: »

Wouldn't the alternator charge the battery when it starts?

(I know nothing about cars)

yes but you have to give it a chance, turning it on and then straight back off wont charge a battery

johnswife

Yeh, i know you have to keep the car running to charge the battery but it kept slowing and down and almost cutting out, then going faster. ( sorry not very good at describing!)I Pointed out to my husband that there were no lightss on the dash at all, as if the car was turned off, so you can tell something is not right. at the moment the battery is in the house charging and hubby has had to go to a meeting. Will try again when he gets back to start the car and going to take it it to where he bought the alternator from and they will have a look at it.

I am desperate to get my car working as I have to get to my mum (92yrs old) and make sure she is alright. I have spoken to her but she keeps phoning me up and i keep explaining my car is not working but she doesn't understand.

pendulum

Only thing I can say is sometimes cars do run rough (revs rising and falling for no reason) after their batterys have gone flat, because the ECU that controls the amount of fuel etc has forgotten the most efficient settings and must relearn them, you have to drive it a few miles for it to pick up all the readings from its sensors.
But that wouldn't cause the car to not start at all soon after, that sounds like flat battery again, see how it is after a full charge and take it for a long drive

Anihilator

This thread is the perfect reason why amatuer mechanics doesnt save money. If the OP had taken it to a mechanic it would no doubt be sorted without the additional expense of try and see

tomocb

I had a very similar problem with my old car and the garage took the same course of unecessary action.

It turned out that they had not wired the earthing cable to the clutch/gearbox correctly, so would start sometimes and other times be completely dead.

Would you believe that was Nationwide Autocentre that made that schoolboy error!?

I got an auto electrician out like the suggestions above and they fixed it within 20 minutes.

Pssst

It appears that you have been randomly throwing money at it in a vain attempt to fix.

That isnt too much of an issue as plenty of mechanics know Jack Sh&te about auto electrics.

You need to get someone competent to look at it.

Meanwhile your best place for bits might be

http://www.gsfcarparts.com

johnswife

Update.

The alternator was not charging the battery so OH used jump leads from his batter to start my car. He has just drove it down to alternator centre where the man has been very helpful, this is next door to the garage where we have had previous work done.

apparently when they fitted the starter motor they forgot to connect something, wires/leads? which was , I think shorting the alternator and which has now done the same to the new one just fitted. We will be going to the garage to complain and get reimbursed for 2 alternators.