The wife wants me to swap for a TT!

[Rodney]

Help!

I am new to this so sorry for putting my first message in the wrong thread!

My 51 c230 k was completely flat one morning. 3 weeks old!
The battery has been replaced however this one went flat in one day also.

It has been on a diagnostic tester however nothing showed up!

What now?
Is this common - Easy fix??

Please Help. Thanks

 

[television]

I have put an answer on your first thread and add the following

When the battery guys come out with their tester and put it across the battery, that only indicates that the battery is charged or working in a fully charged state.
The other fault that happens is that cells can go High resistance, in other words, your car was OK last night and this morning it will not start or turn the engine over. One cell going high res renders the whole thing US.
With modern batteries the tops are all sealed with no access to the individual cells. its a common fault not reccognised by the average battery merchant, and they will always pass it off as being a fault with your car.
Stick to your guns and only eccept one of a different make. good makes as fitted to the cars from new do not have this problem for the first 5 years on average. I know that the new cheap ones look very nice ,but that is where it all stops.

Malcolm

 

[blassberg]

Kwikfit (yes I know but read on) are doing free digital battery checks. I heard the manager teaching one of his oiks about the High Resistance above and how to test for it.

 

[dogsbody]

My wife wants me to swap for a TT!

Firstly your flat battery could be explained by the failure of a blocking diode in your alternator.... it is fitted to stop reverse drain from the battery to the alternator windings when the car ignition is off.
If you can identifiy the make and number, you can take it off and have it tested at specialist alternator/starter motor reconditioners.
If it is a blocking diode fault, most comes these days with brushes and diode packs together, and cost a few quid... a lot less than a new alternator, which is often what the stealeries want you to buy.
Secondly point out to your wife that TT's have rubber cambelts which snap and cost a new engine (£6K)
A local Southampton lady unfortunately bought one new, ran it for 48 k miles when the belt snapped and trashed the engine. The car was serviced by the stealery, from new, and the belt life was given at 60k miles... Audi/VW were not interested...
Moral of story buy a car with a chain or two. My E250 has got a triplex chain on it. My E320 only duplex apparently.
Thirdly, if the the second does not gel, swap the wife!

 

[television]

Firstly your flat battery could be explained by the failure of a blocking diode in your alternator.... it is fitted to stop reverse drain from the battery to the alternator windings when the car ignition is off.
If you can identifiy the make and number, you can take it off and have it tested at specialist alternator/starter motor reconditioners.
If it is a blocking diode fault, most comes these days with brushes and diode packs together, and cost a few quid... a lot less than a new alternator, which is often what the stealeries want you to buy.
!

This is not a problem these day as it was in the early days of alternators.
An alternator is a AC device,the diodes in the form of a bridge convert the AC to DC. any form of blocking is incidental and characteristical of that of a diode. If one of the 4 diodes was S/C the car would not charge and the alternator would self destruct as it would see it as a short circuit. Leakage in silicon diodes of this size is now almost unknown, added to the fact that our cars are de coupled by relays

Malcolm

 

[davidsl500]

Dont know whether it is relevant on this particular model but the biggest cause of battery drain was a faulty central locking pump on earlier MB Models.

Put a multimeter in series and check the current draw as televison says.

This will give you an indication right away if the problem is the battery being drained by an electrical fault or if the current draw is very small then its the battery...

 

[web cam]

have a look at the boot light,this might be the drain problem.

 

[television]

have a look at the boot light,this might be the drain problem.

That would take 3-4 days

Malcolm

 

[maddog]

This is not a problem these day as it was in the early days of alternators.

It was a problem on my 1991 Escort!!!

 

[Rodney]

The problem has been diagnosed as the electric/heated seat box under the seat! This has been diconnected any the drain on the battery has stopped. £300 for the box. We shall see......

Many Thanks to everybody who helped.

I

 

[Parrot of Doom]

I used to have a TT - for 4 months. It was rubbish.

Oh, and the battery would go flat in a week of non-use.

 

[Arnie Gunner]

Don't be silly!

Those VAG cars are nowhere near the quality of MB and BMW cars,!

I know they do try to suggest it but in my experience VW and Audi's are no better than fords and loads more expensive.

Any engine design which uses cam belts can't be as good for a start but a cam belt than drives the water pump is asking for trouble!

Arnie