Frax Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 Hi all I was away for two weeks and the Defender was in my garage, went in and she started first turn. Went for a 4 mile run and back home and parked it outside the garage, the next morning I went to move it and it was dead - no dash lights at all. Connected up the battery charger and left it on charge for about 8 hours then went in and turned the key - still no dash lights - dead. Any ideas as to what could be wrong - I have not looked at it yet as it is pissing it down. The battery has been good, never had a problem till now, I did fit a new standard alternator 2 months ago. Regards Frax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GB75 Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 I once had the very same thing hapen to my defender 110 200Tdi. Drove home from work parked up went out at 5 am to go back to work nothing no dash lights nadda! so having got a taxi to work and a lift home that night i took out the instument pannel and found the main feed wire to the ignition had popped of its spade terminal I pushed it back on and hey presto back to normal! I also taped the bugger up good and tight before I put the dash back in! and its been good as gold ever since. must be ten years or more now!! Have a look and see. Hope thats all it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frax Posted May 17, 2012 Author Share Posted May 17, 2012 Will need to check that out - thanks for that GB75 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GB75 Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 No worries, I hope thats what it turns out to be. I was so chuffed thats what mine was! I had visions of touching my toes having had to hold my hands up and call an auto sparks in! such a relief when it tuned out to be so simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frax Posted May 17, 2012 Author Share Posted May 17, 2012 Will have a look in the morning, strange thing is the battery is still charging - by now I would have expected it to be fully charged. Will stick a meter on it and see if I get volts. If its only a loose wire I would think so unless it has earthed - or I have a knackered battery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 Dead/knackerd battery is my vote. I've seen them work fine then caput, absolutly nothing. as instantly as you have described. Have you got another battery you can try? Mav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g90 Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 check the earth strap that goes from the battery to the chassis, mine snapped at the chassis end and would give you a similar problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frax Posted May 17, 2012 Author Share Posted May 17, 2012 Hi Mav Na spare battery sadly - would I not get dash light through the charger power ? dont know will get the meter out in the morning. I had a thing here for weeks that checked batteries which was a mates but I told him to take it home as I would not use it so as you say - knowing my luck it could be the battery... G90 I will check the earths but would be surprised if they have gone as I just finished my rebuilt 5 months ago - they were not new but in good condition and I think I doubled them up. Frax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 The earths wouldn't explain the fact it's been on charge for ages and still not fully charged, you either have a duff battery or a drain on the battery...... hope it's the battery as it's far quicker to sort that than searching through the wiring for a chaffed wire or similar...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frax Posted May 18, 2012 Author Share Posted May 18, 2012 Yes you are right, more expensive but a lot less hassle. will update you all on what I find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Hi Mav Na spare battery sadly - would I not get dash light through the charger power ? dont know will get the meter out in the morning. I had a thing here for weeks that checked batteries which was a mates but I told him to take it home as I would not use it so as you say - knowing my luck it could be the battery... G90 I will check the earths but would be surprised if they have gone as I just finished my rebuilt 5 months ago - they were not new but in good condition and I think I doubled them up. Frax Hmmm you could try putting the ignition on with the charger on the battery see what happens, but be carfull, make sure there is nothing else turned on. you could caput the charger. If the battery is giving nothing the car will try suck more juice out the charger and I'm not sure if it will like it. I heleped out a friend not long ago, and this happend to her car, she was driving home everything was fine, stopped for some shopping, got back to car and nadda... I went and put a volt meter on the battery and it ready 0-0.1v... i was pretty gobsmacked, spoke to a few folk and found that it could happen. Even just putting jump leads across from another car, would do, just to see if you get ignition lights etc. Mav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frax Posted May 18, 2012 Author Share Posted May 18, 2012 Ye are on the go early this morning Mav, I will be going out shortly to see what I can find. I must admit I had never known of a battery going like that but have since been told it is quite common. Quite a scary thought if you do a lot of traveling. Was you able to jump your friends car ? or was it a tow home job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Ye are on the go early this morning Mav, I will be going out shortly to see what I can find. I must admit I had never known of a battery going like that but have since been told it is quite common. Quite a scary thought if you do a lot of traveling. Was you able to jump your friends car ? or was it a tow home job. early bird Hmm i nearly set the rover on fire as my jump leads got affa hot affa quickly... (thicker leads needed me thinks!)... no couldn;t get it going, I went and got a new battery from Halfrauds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 ......I must admit I had never known of a battery going like that but have since been told it is quite common. Quite a scary thought if you do a lot of traveling..... In my previous car I drove to Derbyshire to collect a Deerhound puppy (about 180 miles). Journey there was fine no sign of any electrical problems. Got in the car to come back with the new addition to the family and it was dead(the car!) The guy at the kennels gave us a jump start, but the entire journey home the car would randomly lose all power and the engine would die, then everything would jump back into life again. Made for an 'interesting' motorway drive home .... when I got back the battery was as dead as a door nail. No probs after replacing the battery. The original battery had been abused a bit as the car had at one point had an intermittent crank sensor problem so the battery had been flattened quite a few time when trying to start it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frax Posted May 18, 2012 Author Share Posted May 18, 2012 Well dont know if I should admit this one as you may all see how stupid I can be. The story starts as said when I went for a run - it was to pickup my son who had been out the night before and was staying at a friend house. He had his guitar + a ruck sack (teenager) you know them spotty individuals that give you loads of grief. When we got home his ruck sack strap had got stuck - what does he do - yes gives it a bigger pull. Never mind looking to see what it is stuck on !!!!!!! Well it was my battery isolation switch - you guessed it-----------it was turned off. The switch key sits in the switch and can only be removed when isolated. Needless to say - he said nothing about it. But then again I suppose I should have checked. All up and running again - no need for battery or hours of head scratching and no way anyone on here could know. I am only stupid some of the time thank god. Dont laugh to hard................ Frax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 (nugget) well least you've found the problem! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Nice one At least you found it before buying another battery! If it was my luck I'd have only discovered it after changing the battery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBeastie Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Did similar on an off road drive where passenger foot caught the key. Having fitted it myself never believed it would actually work! It does, however, and very effectively!!! Much head scratching, followed by hilarity, was created. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pastycrimper Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 I've done that. Dropped my buddy off just outside Exeter Airport, went to restart and nothing. I spent an hour looking over earths and connections - managed to borrow a multimeter off a layby stopper (incredibly fortunate!) and the battery was at 13.1V so all good there. I was livid as I was late for getting home when I noticed the red cut off key sitting in the passenger footwell. I cursed myslef over and pver for the 80 miles home to Penzance. Everbody else laughed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GB75 Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Good news! glad to hear its nothing serious and lets face it who hasn't had somthing similar happen to them over the years? the main thing is that it won't ever catch you out again and thanks to this thread many others shouldn't get caught out by the big red safety key either (We all know for next time!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frax Posted May 20, 2012 Author Share Posted May 20, 2012 You are right, at some point we all miss the obvious but it sure makes you feel like an idiot when it happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Doh ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclemicky Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Em.... A... i did that.... !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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