Order of the Bath

Friday I left work a bit early hoping to get down to Cornwall in good time. Just as I left the car park I stalled. Well perhaps I didn’t give it quite enough welly but no matter—but it wouldn’t start again.

Removing and replacing the key, everything went haywire; warning lights flashing and flickering, relays clicking and dials jumping and showing random values. Oh help, this looks expensive, but I have to get away so ring the AA.

After only 45 minutes, during which I ring home and explain, a yellow van arrives. The AA man tries it, and thinks, and scratches his head and thinks that perhaps the battery is flat. A meter only shows about 10 volts so out come the jump leads. No luck, it just seems to be soaking it up and losing it. So he suggests trying a new battery—Bingo.

What seems to have happened is that a cell has shorted internally and 10v is just not enough to run the electronics, let along start the car. So, new battery paid for, I am off on my way and only about an hour late.

Thanks very nice man.

This entry was posted on 2 Nov 2008 at 22:04 by Rick and is filed under Motoring. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.