Help! 1.8 Tdci Electrical Issue

[spankywade]

Right i shall start from the beginning. Had issues a while back which related to a glow plug as it wouldnt start. Still had issues with it starting immeiately but as the manual states to allow 30 seconds cranking to start the car in cold weather i put it down to the horrible cold we have had for a while.

Had to replace the battery 2 weeks ago as it completely died. Been working "ok" since then apart from being hard to start. Randomly the other day it took 3 attempts to start (like normal lately) but when it finally starter i had no radio. Just a dead display and it wouldnt respond like a fuse had gone.

Went out this morning and very slow starting and wouldnt fire. Gave up, got a lift to work and came home to a dead battery. Lights come on, headlights are going on full. As soon as i turn the key the lights go very dim and nothing. No clicks, nothing.

Every minute i hear a random click from the engine compartment fuse box as if something is trying to start or something? Key not in ignition, just the bonnet is open. Could this mysterious relay/fuse be whats causing my battery drain and horrible start?

Please help me im so frustrated

[BigD]

Mk3?

The click, I would assume to be a relay opening/closing. I was going to suggest the battery saver relay as that's the only thing that should click with no human intervention, but I just checked and that's behind the glovebox, not in the engine bay - though they are close together on opposite sides of the bulkhead so, dunno. Shouldn't be massively hard to trace - just pull the relays one by one and see if the clicking stops.

Would that be enough to drain the battery? I doubt it.

When you replaced the battery did you get a Calcium Silver battery? If not, you need one. A standard lead-acid battery is no good for the Mondeo smartcharge system, and that would go some way to explaining why it's gone from new to stone dead within a fortnight.

If the DMF has failed (and been replaced) in the past, there could be metal fragments in the starter motor which have set that on the road to failure as well, which might be why it's becoming difficult to start.