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Need advice on electrical fault on Focus

John 64
John 64
in New Member Introductions

Featured Replies

Hi everyone

I have been the content driver of my 2010 1.6 Zetec for over a year now, but sadly I have a fault which is difficult to pinpoint and would appreciate advice.

My wife was driving the car for a few miles two days ago, stopped the car then after 5 minutes it wouldn't start, she left it, came back a few hours later and it started right away, drove it home about 5 miles no problem and the next morning, same problem, wouldn't start, called out the breakdown and they said it was the battery, (still original battery),took car to chemix garage and the guy tested the battery under load and said it had plenty of life left in it and said he didn't want to change it as wasting money  and said no point changing battery,  he said probably a sticking starter, I was convinced until last night, tried the car and it tried to start engine, but could see the panel lights dimming, decided to put the lights on and it got worse and worse, left it, got jumper leads and connected it up, still same thing, took them off and was going to give up, connected them directly to battery this time (previously I had connect the negative to the body earth), It started, left it for a minute, switched it off, put lights on again and it started, took the jumper leads off and tried it again with lights on, started easily! 

Don't know what could be the problem, If it was the battery, it wouldn't recover after a minute of charge, or can failing batteries be intermitant? if so, why did the garage say battery was fine, they put a load on it and checked the alternator.

Would appreciate any suggestions, really struggling to think of what it would be.

 

  • Quote


    Sounds like the battery has a duff cell.  So it can appear to be working fine and then suddenly not work.  

  • Quote
    • Author

    Thanks Tom, just wondering how Chemix wouldn't have picked that up, they put it under load and done several tests and said they could put a new battery in if i wanted to waste my money, I wish it was the battery as it would be an easy solution, just don't want to spend £80 and find out it is something else, also the green light is showing on he original battery.

    and why would it recover again after a few hours?

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