Completely Dead

[simps]

Good morning gents

I have been using my car as a daily driver for the past few weeks with no dramas (thanks to a Citroen trying to eat it’s own engine).

Over the past few days the near side headlamp lift slowed to the point it didn’t raise at all, I cleaned and lubricated everything in sight and all was well if a little slow.

On Thursday it was raining hard so quite a lot of load, lights, fan, wipers etc. But the voltmeter showed everything being fine, it is a new battery (6 weeks). On getting home the n/s light didn’t drop but it was raining so didn’t do anything about it and didn’t need it yesterday.

This morning I thought I’d investigate further but there is no electricity anywhere, no dash lights, no external lights, nothing. All the tools are at the lock up so I’ve not checked anything and I’m off to see family in the snowy north this weekend so I’m left to ponder...

So apart from a suicidal battery, has any one any suggestions where to start looking??

Much obliged

S

[FI Spyder]

I had an intermittent dead car for years. Sometimes it would start and run properly sometimes it would be dead, some click and go dead. This often happened when I went into town, do my shopping, get in the car and....dead. I found if I went under the hood and wiggled the 12V distribution clamp on the red battery cable, get back in it would start and run fine. Great problem solved? as the clamp was loose (could slide on the thick cable) I would solder it. Too thick to get it hot enough to melt solder in place, I pulled it so I could close the clamp tight in a vise. Then I noticed the cable was loose where it clamed to the battery clamp. The lead clamp had deformed over the years so that although the clamping bolts where tight the cable was not being clamed tight. I cut back some insulation, folded back half the strands, cut the rest off flush, the clamp could now grip the cable tightly. Reinstalled and no problems since. A six year problem of increasingly having a dead car solved. Once the dead car was push started it ran no problems as it was getting power from the alternator and not the battery. If you have a dead car (no start, no dash lights/no lights) check the cable to battery clamp connection.

[sonscar]

If you are really unlucky the headlamp motor could have flattened the battery.Worth a look,Steve

[Beans]

First check the headlamp moves freely up and down using the turning knob underneath the lifting motor.
Disconnect the battery before you do this, as otherwise the motor might kick in as it is not in one of the parking positions.
And carefully inspect all wires and connectors (including earth points) running to and from the headlight units.

[saabfast]

I assume the battery connections have been checked and cleaned, I have had similar on our Montero the other side of the world where the terminal clamp had got eaten away and cracked, with a bit of corrosion it no longer carried any current. There is a splitter connection on the lead where it dives down to the starter with large spade connections in a cover. these tend to gather dirt and moisture over the years and get a bad connection.

[busheytrader]

First check the headlamp moves freely up and down using the turning knob underneath the lifting motor.
Disconnect the battery before you do this, as otherwise the motor might kick in.

And take your fingers off............

[simps]

Update:

Firstly... Fingers intact

Turned out the battery was flat, I put the booster on it and it fired up and held charge. I’ve disconnected the headlamp motors and it’s been ok for 24 hours. I have a spare motor and will swap the dodgy one over and hopefully everything should be tickitty boo!

That’s for the assistance again, chaps