Flat battery warning

[TonyM]

Apparently this is how my car tells me that it has a flat battery. What's wrong with just using a simple red battery light?

It's an 8 year old battery on a diesel car. Good thing I'm getting a new one since I'm planning to hardwire one or two cameras soon.

 

[jokiin]

That's nuts

 

[TonyM]

I couldn't turn off the electrics, open the tailgate or lock the car. The main dealer advised to call for roadside assistance and have the car taken in for diagnostics. Instead I called my local garage who sent out a mechanic to jump start the car.

 

[Nigel]

I see that you have a simple red battery light flashing to inform you that there is an issue - did you not notice it?

 

[Nigel]

Normally the red battery light is nothing to do with the battery, it is an indication that the alternator is not working.

Maybe you need one of jokiin's OBD meters with the low battery alarm, much easier to understand!

 

[TonyM]

I see that you have a simple red battery light flashing to inform you that there is an issue - did you not notice it?

I was distracted by the light, sound and animated dial show

 

[Nigel]

I was distracted by the light, sound and animated dial show

Wonder if it does that if you happen to be driving along the motorway at 70mph when the battery goes flat - seems like it might be a little dangerous, especially if what it really means is that your electrically power assisted steering has just stopped working!

 

[Dashmellow]

Apparently this is how my car tells me that it has a flat battery. What's wrong with just using a simple red battery light?

Your dashboard looks like a pinball machine!

 

[crabu2]

I've seen this years ago in a Ford.

 

[TonyM]

Wonder if it does that if you happen to be driving along the motorway at 70mph when the battery goes flat - seems like it might be a little dangerous, especially if what it really means is that your electrically power assisted steering has just stopped working!

Hopefully it would be charging rather than discharging if I'm driving along the motorway

 

[TonyM]

All fixed with a new battery

 

[Nath]

Without sound it looks like a pretty tough race.

 

[Nigel]

Hopefully it would be charging rather than discharging if I'm driving along the motorway

Yes, but alternators do fail, and then the battery starts discharging, quite quickly with a modern diesel with electric power steering and super high pressure fuel pump for direct injection.

 

[Dashmellow]

It's an 8 year old battery on a diesel car.

Eight years seems like pretty decent battery life. I'm just entering my seventh year on a battery and it seems to be doing fine even with the severe cold weather we've been experiencing but I will probably take it out of service before next winter so I don't have any unpleasant surprises. My last battery died very abruptly on Christmas day seven years ago with no warning or indication that it was failing and living as I do out in a rural area that can be a real hassle.

 

[Harsh]

Mine's on 3.5 years and with 12.2 on the Vico I get only a few minutes. 12V lasts a lot longer but a few times I've come back to "LVOL" on the display. Planning on getting a new one soon.

 

[kamkar]

Daum. i better stop whining about my L headlight retaining water.
Though i better get it replaced soon before it fill up, damn near constantly raining here, with weather gurus assuming we will break the all time wet March record on Friday.

 

[jokiin]

Daum. i better stop whining about my L headlight retaining water.
Though i better get it replaced soon before it fill up, damn near constantly raining here, with weather gurus assuming we will break the all time wet March record on Friday.

if the budget doesn't allow for it right now, drill a drain hole in the bottom of the headlight housing

 

[kamkar]

I have been thinking along those lines, and actually last i visited my friend he gave me a battery powered dermel clone, so i have the tool too.

 

[SawMaster]

I've seen single displays go nuts when input voltage was low, but never the whole dash In old cars I've gone for over an hour in the daytime without a functioning charging system, but today's cars might not even get you to the next exit on the highway like that. They are newer, improved, safer, more reliable, and just better in every way- until something goes wrong.

Phil

 

[jokiin]

Maybe you need one of jokiin's OBD meters with the low battery alarm, much easier to understand!

if you want one @TonyM just let me know