My car

...is dead as a dodo

It was absolutely fine yesterday and today the battery appears to be dead. Not even enough power to switch on the dashboard or radio clock, although enough to just barely illuminate an internal light. How can a battery go from normal to dead overnight (no, I did not leave any lights on) and does this imply something else faulty going on?

Bennie was not amused that he didn't get his walk at his usual favourite place this morning...

Re: My car

Has the battery been charging whilst the car was running??? may be the alternator is faulty???

Re: My car

Well if it wasn't that should show up on a light on the dashboard when driving, and it didn't. Hoping to get it jump started tomorrow and head for the garage.

Re: My car

How annoying Ania . The same thing happened to me and I had to get my son to bring a new battery.

Re: My car

I hope that's all I need, Meg. Did yours seem to go overnight as well?

Re: My car

Happened to my brother in law last week. Popped in a supermarket to do some shopping and couldn't start the car as it was totally dead. No warning that anything was going wrong - just dead as a doornail. Called the AA and the guy fitted a new battery and all was well again.

Re: My car

That's encouraging, Mark. Fingers crossed. It is 7 years old, so maybe due to die?

Re: My car

Yes Ania. I was at home and had used it the day before no problem. It wasn't slow to start and nothing had been left on.

The same thing happened with my newer current car. I went to the post office, got back in the car and a message I didn't have time to read flashed on dashboard display.
Everything seemed ok so I drove a mile to the supermarket, came out with the shopping only to find the car was dead I was in a panic because I didn't know the car very well.

I was two miles from home and belong to the RAC so called them out. The man said straight away it was the battery and he replaced it there and then.

The RAC man said a battery life is about three years .

Re: My car

Thanks, Meg. Actually I've just checked my car insurance policy and it seems they include breakdown assistance at home so am going to ring them.

Re: My car

Biggest problem is if you have one of those cars where if you leave the indicator stalk to one side or the other when you park it turns the side front and rear park lights on that side, left overnight thus will flatten the battery. Leaving something like a glove box internal light on will also do it !