inkafone
Guest
Just had a bit of a bad afternoon - unlocked the car,put the key in the ignition,realised I needed something from the garage - car locks itself and sets the alarm - me in garage. Haven't got a spare key so calls out the RAC. Luckily my other,more sensible half,has been a member for over 20 years so they agree to fix at the house even though we haven't got home cover. RAC man does the window thing so there's a gap for his "prod" (a long bendy bar) and trys to turn the key but the angles are all wrong and it won't budge plus the alarm keeps going off. He has another way of turning on the ignition,I won't say how unless the mods allow me to (mods,you are reading this?), and operate the windows (with prod). Anyway after much gratitude
from me and a bit of a chat
(he's been a very nice man for almost 20 years and tells me a few interesting stories) off he goes,he doesn't give me the key until he's about to go,wonder why...... I start the car and notice (impossible not to) that the power steering isn't working, go back to the house for a sulk and a ponder
. Check the fuses,doesn't seem to be one for power steering and try to start it again - turns over but doesn't fire - more sulking . Leave it for about 15 minutes and it starts first time and we have much lighter steering . Off I go to the the cash point and back at "trouble" it won't start - the batterys dead (clock resets itself). Don't really fancy bump starting it, get it going with jump leads and drive home - no power steering,indicators,dash lights (it's dark now),dim headlamps (and getting more stupid by the second) plus there's several warning lights telling me I've got no ABS,airbags etc etc. The question is does a low battery cause all this to happen. The battery is on charge (I'm trickle charging overnight) so tomorrow could be interesting. The "beast" is a 2002 130 TDi so the battery is a big 'un and should last. I've only had it a few days and only really driven it after dark and because it's so high geared the alternator's probably not being allowed to give it many amps. Does this sound plausible?,there's a voltmeter on the dash as it's an early car and it was showing under twelve volts running which indicates a duff alternator but there's so many systems on this car that at 60mph and 1600 revs the electrical power-in minus power-out must be quite low.
from me and a bit of a chat (he's been a very nice man for almost 20 years and tells me a few interesting stories) off he goes,he doesn't give me the key until he's about to go,wonder why...... I start the car and notice (impossible not to) that the power steering isn't working, go back to the house for a sulk and a ponder . Check the fuses,doesn't seem to be one for power steering and try to start it again - turns over but doesn't fire - more sulking . Leave it for about 15 minutes and it starts first time and we have much lighter steering . Off I go to the the cash point and back at "trouble" it won't start - the batterys dead (clock resets itself). Don't really fancy bump starting it, get it going with jump leads and drive home - no power steering,indicators,dash lights (it's dark now),dim headlamps (and getting more stupid by the second) plus there's several warning lights telling me I've got no ABS,airbags etc etc. The question is does a low battery cause all this to happen. The battery is on charge (I'm trickle charging overnight) so tomorrow could be interesting. The "beast" is a 2002 130 TDi so the battery is a big 'un and should last. I've only had it a few days and only really driven it after dark and because it's so high geared the alternator's probably not being allowed to give it many amps. Does this sound plausible?,there's a voltmeter on the dash as it's an early car and it was showing under twelve volts running which indicates a duff alternator but there's so many systems on this car that at 60mph and 1600 revs the electrical power-in minus power-out must be quite low.
