few probs with my s3

:: blade ::

:: blade ::

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Hi guys got a few problems with my s3 as of yesturday. It all started with having no brake lights at all. Fixed that with a new brake light switch. Now my car doesnt wsnt to start. Cant unlock car with central locking as there is no power. Put ignition on an no lights, put a starter pack on and get lights and its starts up fine. Drive around for abit pull up leave it five mins and its dead again. The battery is less that a yr old. Not checked with a multimeter yet as i need to find one as mines 40miles away in my other nakerd car. What could cause this other than the alternator/battery?

Had the big red brake warning light pop up on dash too so pulled over turned car off and back on again and it never came back on. Brakes seem spot on still

few more things drivers windown wont go up or down on auto now either was fine a few days ago. And the drivers elec mirror only moves left, wont move up or down or right if i put the switch onto the passenger side and press left. Both mittors move which is confusing. Could this be the switch?

Hope someone could shed some light on the loss of power tho. Confusing as it drives perfect once started.
 
Could be the alternator,

Wouldn't rule out the battery though, I'd put a new battery on my car a while back and it only lasted about 5 months before the car was dead again, turned out to be a duff battery.

Your auto windows have stopped working because of the dead battery.

Once you get the car running, hold the switch to lower window down for 10seconds when fully open, do the same to put the window up, this should recalibrate the auto feature.

You could also have a drain on the battery somewhere when the car is sat locked up.
 
I had similar issues last week turned out to be the alternator. Picked a new one for £140 from euros. Best thing to do is charge the battery up for a few hours then test the charge rate and go from there.
 
Tried to start the car this morning after being stood all night. Started straight away no problem. Its weird as after a run yesturday it wouldnt start ofter being left for 5mins
 
Will be checking it out tonight if i can get a multimeter. Other half went out an hour after me this morn started fine got to school 5mins up the road dropped kids off and was dead and needed jumping again.
 
Had a multimeter on it now. Getting 14.18v while engine running and 12.15v with engine off. So cant be the alternator really. Will take cables off and clean up contacts and fit it again.
 
Sooo a new outcome. Been to get a new battery under warrenty. Started fine. Idled smoother than before. Set off to come back home put passenger window down. And its stayed down wouldbt come back up. Stopped off to get something was gone 2 mins. Got back to the car. And nothing no light on the dash and couldnt starts it used a starter pack on it and fired up. And i could close the window. So im am super confused now
 
It's almost as though something maybe shorting itself causing the battery to drain..... Sounds like you've got a hell of a mystery on your hands, hope you find out what's causing it!
 
Yea not a clue. Its asif the battery isnt connected. Put the starter pack on and the lights com on. Its propper baffled me. When it happens its asif the battery has been disconnected. And resets the dash. Everything was all fine up untill my brakelight switch went faulty. When driving it its better than ever and seems faster than it was before pulls alot better.
 
Just curious...... But have you checked weather your Brake lights are on all the time? You've fitted a new switch, maybe it's stuck on. Just an idea
 
sounds silly but you have checked the main battery earth at both ends? check all your earths in fact, one could be loose or corroded?
 
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It still could be your alternator, even if it is charging,there may be a fault inside shorting out , or possibly the starter shorting, get it scanned to see if anything comes up, check and clean all the main power connections, also check the fuses on top of the battery, I had a 30 amp fuse melt the plastic around it, but not blow.
 
As stated. Go back to basics on this.

Take the line off from battery positive to the starter motor. Get some sand paper out and ensure the connections are clean both ends. Clean the battery posts up too.
-side goes to a stud on the gearbox bell housing. Again. Clean the connections.

Remove the plug from the alternator and AC compressor and unbolt it from the alternator. Same deal again.

While you are doing all this hook the battery out and give the earths under the battery box a good seeing too also.

Let me know how you get on.
 
Well it seems to be fixed now. After checking the cables from the battery all were tight. Checked again before and the smaller wire on the positive terminal was slightly loose. The nut was tight but could just move the cable slighly. So tightened it up and so far so good. Mad how something so small could cause daft problems. Think it confused me more with it happening just after changing the brake light switch.
 
Did you disconnect the battery when you changed the switch? If so, you may have disturbed the wire.
 
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