Battery Meter

[cocky]

I'm hoping someone can help,

How accurate is the voltmeter on the dashboard. I went out to start the car this morning and it wasn't turning over, yet the voltmeter was showing that there is some charge in the Battery.

Is it likely to be a dead Battery and misreading on the dash or something else?

Cheers

[TigerFish]

was the car doign anything at all when you tried to start? i.e. turning over slowly, or clicking, or completely dead, or anything?

[cocky]

was the car doign anything at all when you tried to start? i.e. turning over slowly, or clicking, or completely dead, or anything?

It turned over slowly to start with but that stopped after a couple of attempts. Now it's just a clicking sound when I turn the key.

[kam05]

Dead Battery mate, and no the volt meter on the dash is not accurate.

[Parthiban]

When my Battery was dead, the voltmeter was pointing at around 9V if I remember correctly - so it's not totally inaccurate as that may have been correct.

But all your symptoms point to a dead Battery :)

[Yeldarb]

My Volt meter is exactly the same as my engine management computer. So it should be fairly accurate in a standard IS.

[cocky]

Cheers for all your help, I'll dig out the charger tonight.

[Bazza]

the voltmeter is fairly accurate

but just because it says 12 volts it doesnt mean it will start your car

look at it when you are actually starting it ie: when it has the load on it

[Balsca]

I found out the hard way that the cabin light doesnt go off when you lock the car up. Came back a couple of days later and found the bat had 3v on it. Wouldnt even turn a light on the dash:p

Fun fun!

Iain

[Parthiban]

I found out the hard way that the cabin light doesnt go off when you lock the car up. Came back a couple of days later and found the bat had 3v on it. Wouldnt even turn a light on the dash:p

Fun fun!

Iain

Do you mean the light on the roof in the middle of the car, or the maplight at the front?

Either way only the dome light (middle) will switch off (if the switch is set to "door"), the front maplight is not connected to the locks, it's simply an on off switch.

[fil4362]

As a mechanic/mot tester of 20 years personally i would ignore the volt metre on the dash. When you starting the car you need amps not volts. Amps is the power. A Battery can have 12 volts but with no amps it will never start anything. If your going to test the Battery test it loaded like suggested see what the gauge says when actually trying to start the car. Failing that put your volt meter on the Battery and switch on as much electrical as you can your volt meter will drop like a stone. This isnt the best way to test it but better than guessing.

[cocky]

I ended up jump starting it and went for a long drive and all seems to be well now!