Car wont jump start

abc123456

My diesel Kia Sorento has always started first time, except once a couple of winters ago when I accidently did not close a door properly and flattened the battery. Charging it overnight sorted it out and starting has been trouble free ever since.

However, yesterday I went to start it and there was no power. I am not sure if the previous day when I last used it, I maybe did not shut a door properly. I did not leave any interior light on, I`m sure!

Anyway, when I tried to start it yesterday, there was no power, no dashboard lights illuninated, not even faintly, and there was no ignition "click", nothing.

I left it overnight while my wife`s vehicle returned home, and tried to jump start it today.

After connecting the jump leads, I turned on the ignition and the usual lights illuninated. I waited, as normal, for the glo plug light to go off, and when it did (it flickered out, which was unusual), I tried to turn the engine, but nothing, and all the previously illuninated lights went out, and again, nothing, no trace of any power.

I checked some of the main fuses, but they seemed ok.

Would it be the case that the battery is so flat, that not even a jump start would make it turn over?, or something else (it has been bitterly icy the last week here).

Any advice or solution appreciated. Thanks.

SailorSam

You probably just need to get some power back into the batterey, as you say it's been very cold. If you can't put the battery on charge you'll need to sit with the leads on for a while with the good car running. Keep revving to get some juice in.

Marktheshark

Possibly, when batteries die they go in to rapid discharge state, very hard to jump the car off without some very industrial jump leads.
They can even drag down a battery on the jump start when they get really KO'd.
How old is the battery ?
5+ years and its almost odds on it done.

RMS2

abc123456 wrote: »

Would it be the case that the battery is so flat, that not even a jump start would make it turn over?, or something else (it has been bitterly icy the last week here).

No, very unlikely. Even if a battery is dead, you're still connecting up a new power source to the car. I take it you have started and run the donor car whilst trying to turn your over?


All that the dead battery should do, is act as a sort of capacitor for the donor unit, BTW, you are doing red to red and black to black with the leads?


I'd be more concerned about it being something else. With it being so icy, you do have good antifreeze in it that you haven't been topping up with lots of water?

gilbert_and_sullivan

As said, serious jump leads are required for these types of Diesels, even with the best quality leads you might need two or as many as three sets connecting from a very good donor battery to get the thing to turn over, had this with Transit type vehicles too, yet oddly enough you can usually jump a 14 litre lorry engine with one good set @ 24v.

Why does the OP's post link to Eurocarparts on the word battery?

Rolandtheroadie

Had the exact same symptoms on the OHs Cee'd.

Lights, turn key, lights went out and no attempt to start.

I gave the battery negative a shake, it started. Gave the bolts attaching to the body a tighten and it's been ok since

Marktheshark

As a check, get the black jump lead, clip it on the battery earth terminal on the car that wont start find somewhere metal on the engine on the car that wont start and clip tit on and see what happens.
eliminate any earth issues as a check

forgotmyname

Your dead battery is draining the power from the leads. You need some better leads and a car with a massive alternator capable of putting out enough power to overcome the dead battery.

Why didnt you stick the battery on charge as soon as it failed to start? A dead battery can lose its capacity to recharge. In this cold weather that can happen quite quickly and a dead battery can actually freeze where a charged one wont.

Charge it and stick the jump leads on. Get the battery and alternator tested.

AdrianC

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

yet oddly enough you can usually jump a 14 litre lorry engine with one good set @ 24v.

Because, for any given power, there's half the current flowing at twice the voltage.

Norman_Castle

I left it overnight while my wife`s vehicle returned home, and tried to jump start it today.

What car has your wife got?. I tried to start a diesel Vectra with my petrol Volvo which did not have the output to start it. I tried shortly afterwards with a diesel transit and it started quite easily. Diesels need more power to start them.

abc123456

SailorSam wrote: »

You probably just need to get some power back into the batterey, as you say it's been very cold. If you can't put the battery on charge you'll need to sit with the leads on for a while with the good car running. Keep revving to get some juice in.

Thanks sailor sam, I will give it another go tomorrow in the daylight!