Opel zafira won't start

Townieboy01

Looking for some advice before I go to a mechanic my 06 Opel zafira 1.9 diesel won't start in unless it's by jump or bump every morning I try and start it the battery is dead once I get it going it drives for hours until I turn it off I'm thinking it might be the alternator can anyone confirm if that might be the problem or am I looking at something more serious thank you

Townieboy01

Also if I might add before it stopped starting it was really sluggish to start then it stopped completely unless it's by jump or bump

Richard53

Before you do ANYTHING else, give it a new battery.


If that doesn't cure it (I'm 99% sure it will), then start looking at how well the alternator is charging. But your symptoms shout 'dead battery'. How old is it? If the battery is more than 5-6 years old, make that 99.9%.

Jonathan_Kelvin

Agreed on the new battery. Also buy a cheap multimeter and check the voltage across the battery with the engine running, preferably a couple of thousand revs above idle. Your symptoms suggest it’s only the battery, but it could also be that it’s getting only very minimal charging if the alternator is on the way out.

Townieboy01

Tried a different battery started fine for a few days then it was dead

twhitehousescat

in which case you either have a short or a failing alternator . may i suggest

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-Car-Battery-Alternator-Charging-Voltage-Level-Tester-Easy-LED-Indicators/292708366354?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item4426c73812:g:6woAAOSwblFdfohO&enc=AQAEAAACQBPxNw%2BVj6nta7CKEs3N0qWVMVGrYGvyxgbjitnFRdPhax9SjtGCYK0wkcx6CScPy%2BgBBD%2Ff%2BfecFgBC6oM4q0WyKKIVZ5hSpanKnsOiV7f51vj3EqwikCTUON%2B4gZHNsrodFRjapb4Oandv3WTHX2ZemgfERnPQh9yk8eiQTYrB3IHCO6qS8uJ17hxkdGn6XJnuDLc%2BUPK6A8XcdIisg0ApeBNgFEOZc9%2Fmb5LILXhfwrD5o914UbEHoo%2BMOFKflZ0sSbtnaqemEpQRjRWEdgBvm1z1tcTF7x5f0F%2BUz7wmwpQBOqFc2qNtVPL2rhVWm7bY5e29kRm%2B4BGKk5UxRttVNuI92ee0P5QSCMgkngBnyN6A4QF9D%2BidZiaTKfQrZ4f9PhWs%2Be%2Fz7F%2Fmz46eE9DgK8EpUN6VjOhwaG6EUyH7%2BipvbuAAfLd8gPHQCquhhJtjutiX1QQys6HtMBbeagr1Fz%2FCvIBmwtmZYeSFQvr5Ks1wa02NwxDq6PfYxKD6Khm1D5B%2FqeBN5OLWkjf%2Bky84rzvfMAeL5u6rZIexJTVUaonaGroxk3FR4nKhvBMjyww7LXd4FdKkSl5626A%2BWAyYQT30YK0hcv2KepFGxLtNSMXmQ8s%2FXOfIgpNIwBV1eIYrE7JZQjmllUFn3P7P%2BDeHQS%2FOUVzOFOOr9zEAJhkTIyoKR52PwCrA8ZEqH9SIZuvlpxEVyGJYT57wuLcQJbLgjUrHroKlr55m4UfSjDl8N7WOqKVNrB7F7rLHuum5TQ%3D%3D&checksum=2927083663547eed844ae1fe47bf831c3549683ebda5&enc=AQAEAAACQBPxNw%2BVj6nta7CKEs3N0qWVMVGrYGvyxgbjitnFRdPhax9SjtGCYK0wkcx6CScPy%2BgBBD%2Ff%2BfecFgBC6oM4q0WyKKIVZ5hSpanKnsOiV7f51vj3EqwikCTUON%2B4gZHNsrodFRjapb4Oandv3WTHX2ZemgfERnPQh9yk8eiQTYrB3IHCO6qS8uJ17hxkdGn6XJnuDLc%2BUPK6A8XcdIisg0ApeBNgFEOZc9%2Fmb5LILXhfwrD5o914UbEHoo%2BMOFKflZ0sSbtnaqemEpQRjRWEdgBvm1z1tcTF7x5f0F%2BUz7wmwpQBOqFc2qNtVPL2rhVWm7bY5e29kRm%2B4BGKk5UxRttVNuI92ee0P5QSCMgkngBnyN6A4QF9D%2BidZiaTKfQrZ4f9PhWs%2Be%2Fz7F%2Fmz46eE9DgK8EpUN6VjOhwaG6EUyH7%2BipvbuAAfLd8gPHQCquhhJtjutiX1QQys6HtMBbeagr1Fz%2FCvIBmwtmZYeSFQvr5Ks1wa02NwxDq6PfYxKD6Khm1D5B%2FqeBN5OLWkjf%2Bky84rzvfMAeL5u6rZIexJTVUaonaGroxk3FR4nKhvBMjyww7LXd4FdKkSl5626A%2BWAyYQT30YK0hcv2KepFGxLtNSMXmQ8s%2FXOfIgpNIwBV1eIYrE7JZQjmllUFn3P7P%2BDeHQS%2FOUVzOFOOr9zEAJhkTIyoKR52PwCrA8ZEqH9SIZuvlpxEVyGJYT57wuLcQJbLgjUrHroKlr55m4UfSjDl8N7WOqKVNrB7F7rLHuum5TQ%3D%3D&checksum=2927083663547eed844ae1fe47bf831c3549683ebda5

Townieboy01

Got a friend to put voltage tester on it and it's giving out a really low reading does that confirm alternator problem

twhitehousescat

gosh is he not skilled enough to use his equipment

and stop drip feeding

you have known your fault all along

you knew it was not your battery , because you tried another , you know your altenator is weak , so why ask

sevenhills

Townieboy01 wrote: »

Got a friend to put voltage tester on it and it's giving out a really low reading does that confirm alternator problem

If your friend has a voltage tester, have you measured the voltage when charging and the voltage with the engine switched off?

Townieboy01

FYI twhitehousecat only got him to check it before I posted that he checked it and I did say in my post that I taught it was the alternator but wanted advice before I went to mechanic and get ripped off

Mercdriver

twhitehousescat wrote: »

in which case you either have a short or a failing alternator . may i suggest

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-Car-Battery-Alternator-Charging-Voltage-Level-Tester-Easy-LED-Indicators/292708366354?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item4426c73812:g:6woAAOSwblFdfohO&enc=AQAEAAACQBPxNw%2BVj6nta7CKEs3N0qWVMVGrYGvyxgbjitnFRdPhax9SjtGCYK0wkcx6CScPy%2BgBBD%2Ff%2BfecFgBC6oM4q0WyKKIVZ5hSpanKnsOiV7f51vj3EqwikCTUON%2B4gZHNsrodFRjapb4Oandv3WTHX2ZemgfERnPQh9yk8eiQTYrB3IHCO6qS8uJ17hxkdGn6XJnuDLc%2BUPK6A8XcdIisg0ApeBNgFEOZc9%2Fmb5LILXhfwrD5o914UbEHoo%2BMOFKflZ0sSbtnaqemEpQRjRWEdgBvm1z1tcTF7x5f0F%2BUz7wmwpQBOqFc2qNtVPL2rhVWm7bY5e29kRm%2B4BGKk5UxRttVNuI92ee0P5QSCMgkngBnyN6A4QF9D%2BidZiaTKfQrZ4f9PhWs%2Be%2Fz7F%2Fmz46eE9DgK8EpUN6VjOhwaG6EUyH7%2BipvbuAAfLd8gPHQCquhhJtjutiX1QQys6HtMBbeagr1Fz%2FCvIBmwtmZYeSFQvr5Ks1wa02NwxDq6PfYxKD6Khm1D5B%2FqeBN5OLWkjf%2Bky84rzvfMAeL5u6rZIexJTVUaonaGroxk3FR4nKhvBMjyww7LXd4FdKkSl5626A%2BWAyYQT30YK0hcv2KepFGxLtNSMXmQ8s%2FXOfIgpNIwBV1eIYrE7JZQjmllUFn3P7P%2BDeHQS%2FOUVzOFOOr9zEAJhkTIyoKR52PwCrA8ZEqH9SIZuvlpxEVyGJYT57wuLcQJbLgjUrHroKlr55m4UfSjDl8N7WOqKVNrB7F7rLHuum5TQ%3D%3D&checksum=2927083663547eed844ae1fe47bf831c3549683ebda5&enc=AQAEAAACQBPxNw%2BVj6nta7CKEs3N0qWVMVGrYGvyxgbjitnFRdPhax9SjtGCYK0wkcx6CScPy%2BgBBD%2Ff%2BfecFgBC6oM4q0WyKKIVZ5hSpanKnsOiV7f51vj3EqwikCTUON%2B4gZHNsrodFRjapb4Oandv3WTHX2ZemgfERnPQh9yk8eiQTYrB3IHCO6qS8uJ17hxkdGn6XJnuDLc%2BUPK6A8XcdIisg0ApeBNgFEOZc9%2Fmb5LILXhfwrD5o914UbEHoo%2BMOFKflZ0sSbtnaqemEpQRjRWEdgBvm1z1tcTF7x5f0F%2BUz7wmwpQBOqFc2qNtVPL2rhVWm7bY5e29kRm%2B4BGKk5UxRttVNuI92ee0P5QSCMgkngBnyN6A4QF9D%2BidZiaTKfQrZ4f9PhWs%2Be%2Fz7F%2Fmz46eE9DgK8EpUN6VjOhwaG6EUyH7%2BipvbuAAfLd8gPHQCquhhJtjutiX1QQys6HtMBbeagr1Fz%2FCvIBmwtmZYeSFQvr5Ks1wa02NwxDq6PfYxKD6Khm1D5B%2FqeBN5OLWkjf%2Bky84rzvfMAeL5u6rZIexJTVUaonaGroxk3FR4nKhvBMjyww7LXd4FdKkSl5626A%2BWAyYQT30YK0hcv2KepFGxLtNSMXmQ8s%2FXOfIgpNIwBV1eIYrE7JZQjmllUFn3P7P%2BDeHQS%2FOUVzOFOOr9zEAJhkTIyoKR52PwCrA8ZEqH9SIZuvlpxEVyGJYT57wuLcQJbLgjUrHroKlr55m4UfSjDl8N7WOqKVNrB7F7rLHuum5TQ%3D%3D&checksum=2927083663547eed844ae1fe47bf831c3549683ebda5

May I suggest a shorter link in future?