ford fiesta flat battery

[openspaceman]

Yep Modern cars etc are permanently live draining the life out of the Battery and 6 months is a long time unless you can fit a trickle charger or solar charge .

 

 

Ste

 

Yes we have this when folk go on leave, a month and the battery won't start the car. Given a small car battery is 50Ah and when it's 50% discharged its life is shortened, 30 days drain at 30mA and the battery is close enough to be damaged.

[RealEstate]

Disconnect one of the battery cables - see if it holds its charge.

[openspaceman]

Disconnect one of the battery cables - see if it holds its charge.

 

Make sure you know the radio code first

[IVECOKID]

Post says he fitted a new battery 6 months ago.

 

 

Hi , yes I know what posts says , it says

 

...I put a new battery on around 6 months ago, when the van has being stood for a while the battery

 

 

 

Ste:001_smile:

[NFG]

Hi again,

 

Just to add that if its a 12 V (nominal) lead acid battery & the voltage drops below 10.5 volts its unlikely it will hold a decent charge. Unfortunaetly the affect is irreversible.

 

Perhaps replace / exchange if its still under warranty if only 6 months old?

 

N

[mendiplogs]

I've got an 09 plate ford fiesta van that I use for quoting, I put a new battery on around 6 months ago, when the van has being stood for a while the battery is as flat as a fart and won't start, its as though something is draining the power! Any ideas?

 

Hi SIMONM How about a larger battery and a solar panel to trickle charge the battery thanks John

[simonm]

Joke innit a 6 year old van with 50 tho on clock wont start if its stood a week! Got an 04 transit with 115 tho on, starts first time every time never faffed with battery.

[spudulike]

All cars will have some sort of pull on the battery even when off - the alarm and clock for instance and that is why the battery terminals spark when you remove them.

 

What you need to test is the nominal drain on the battery is not abnormally high and you would need this figure in Amps and then use an Ammeter. You could compare a similar model car to see if anything is untoward!

 

Just had a quick look online and 0.03A (30ma) seems about right. If you are pulling substantially more, start pulling fuses and note which one stops this drain and then work out what the fuse does and go from there.

 

Make sure your contacts are clean. The wife's Fiesta failed to start one day and it was just a corroded connector - a small clean, whack and retighten and she was away:thumbup:

[cornish wood burner]

Joke innit a 6 year old van with 50 tho on clock wont start if its stood a week! Got an 04 transit with 115 tho on, starts first time every time never faffed with battery.

There obviously something wrong. Do what Jon suggests, have the battery tested and measure the drain on the car. Most cars will struggle to start after 3 weeks with all the little drains but a week that's ridiculous. Check for the obvious things before going too far, interior lights, boot light, don't suppose there is a light under the bonnet, stereo running etc.