HELP!! Electric Problems...2001 1.1l Fiesta

[Unlucky Motorist]

Hi All,

I've had a look through the forum and seen some similar posts but nothing that has been definitely diagnosed, so I'd thought I'd ask all you good petrol heads for some advice...

About 6 weeks ago I stopped at the garage, filled up, jumped in and went to start the car.  She acted funny, dials went to max then back down, trip reset, and all I could hear were the relay clicks, no turnover at all.  She started on the second attempt BUT, I drove round the corner to the shop and when I came out, exactly the same thing happened again and she wouldn't start at all.  Couldn't even jump start her with regular leads.  Tow truck managed to get her started with the commercial battery box type thing they have, so I took her straight round to the garage and had a new battery fitted.

All good until last week when I was dropping a mate home, idled outside his house while he de-bussed, spun round and noticed that the dash lights were dimmed, headlights weren't fully powered etc.  Stupidly I stopped, then she wouldn't start.  However, this time she was trying to turn over maybe once or twice before dying.  Luckily, mate came out and we managed to push start her and she was fine.

Two nights ago, came home from work, was reversing into my space and the same happened again, dash AND headlights dimmed and electric window wouldn't rise.  Kept her running this time (yep, I learn from my mistakes!), ran her round the block in only 1st and 2nd (high revs), lights and dash came back on and she was running fine.

Sooo, brand new battery on her, I can only assume this is an alternator problem?  Does anybody please have any idea?  Don't really want to Shell out for a new alternator 5 weeks before Xmas, don't think the missus would be too happy having that under the tree.  Was going to get her a brand new hoover...:-)

Thanks in advance for any and all advice.

[TomsFocus]

Could be a bad earth or battery cable but it does sound like new alternator needed tbh...if it's the original from 2001 it's done well anyway!

[isetta]

if running on tickover/idle and you put the lights on and heater fan and heater rear window (to create a high load on battery/alternator) do the lights go a bit brighter when you rev the engine a small amount?   if not, probably alternator problem.  Better to do this test with a voltmeter on the battery terminals to give a clearer picture.   But I agree it could be bad connections on the cables at the battery terminals and other end of the cables and the thick cable from chassis to engine if there is one

 

[Unlucky Motorist]

Will check the headlights brightening tonight when it's dark.  Going to check and clean all the cables/connections tomorrow, fingers crossed I come back with good news!

Thanks for the advice!