Is this the end?

[ladymuck]

What I meant was, does the battery voltage gauge show any reading when you turn the key to position 1?

It might be worth trying the following:

(1) hook up the jump starter; turn the key to position 1. Does the gauge give a reading?

(2) start the car; disconnect the jump starter. Does the gauge give a higher reading than at (1)?

This is a pretty crude test but if the reading at (2) is higher than at (1), your alternator system may be ok.

Really, you need a digital multimeter to be certain. Greater than 13v when the engine is running is a good sign that the battery is charging.

BTW, the reason I'm suggesting you check it yourself is so you don't get fobbed off with BS by Kwik Fit et al.

On the drive up to the garage, the meter was reading a smidge over 14v.

Opted not to go to Kwik Fit unless the garage tell me the battery is faulty. The chaps up the road are pretty good.

[DealorNoDeal]

On the drive up to the garage, the meter was reading a smidge over 14v.

Opted not to go to Kwik Fit unless the garage tell me the battery is faulty. The chaps up the road are pretty good.

That's a good sign. Also, if the alternator system wasn't working, I doubt you'd have got as far the garage.

[Mordac]

That's a good sign. Also, if the alternator system wasn't working, I doubt you'd have got as far the garage.

If it's not the alternator, then LM has a world of electrical pain to contend with. If she doesn't currently know a good priest, now would be a good time to seek one...

[DealorNoDeal]

If it's not the alternator, then LM has a world of electrical pain to contend with. If she doesn't currently know a good priest, now would be a good time to seek one...

Not necessarily.

Given that she only uses the car infrequently, she was lucky to get 5 years out of the original battery.

There's still a chance Kwik Fit supplied a duff, or not fully charged, replacement.

[ladymuck]

Garage couldn't find fault with neither battery nor alternator so they're getting their auto electrician in to do a more in depth job of finding the 'leak'.

I may yet need that holy water...

[greenlake]

I may yet need that holy water...

[DealorNoDeal]

Garage couldn't find fault with neither battery nor alternator so they're getting their auto electrician in to do a more in depth job of finding the 'leak'.

I may yet need that holy water...

Usual suspects are radio, alarm, immobiliser. Shouldn't be too difficult to isolate by measuring current draw and pulling fuses out.

Let us know what the electrician finds.

[ladymuck]

Verdict is in! The car still lives, holy water not required.

It was the stereo apparently.

[DealorNoDeal]

It was the stereo apparently.

Yep, that's a common culprit.

Great you got it sorted. And, if it ever plays up again, at least you've now got a piece of kit to jump start the thing.

[Paddy]

My friend’s car had the same problem. He had a new battery and new alternator and then the battery went flat. He called the AA who could not solve the problem but gave him a jump start. I took a look and found the earth cable getting hot (battery to the engine and car body). I replaced the cable al all is now OK.