Somethings wrong

brimfull

Hi,

Just wondering if anyboby else has had a problem with their vectra c similar to mine.

Car will run fine for a number of days, leave for around 24 hours and battery appears to be flat, jump start the car it will then run fine for anything up to a couple of months.

I have had a mechanic look over the car and he can confirm that the battery is being charged when engine is running and there is no drain when engine is off.

During everyday driving the trip computer screen flickers slightly when car is reved, and upon start up heater blow appears to be quite weak until engine has been running a few seconds then blows fine.

I have changed the battery about 8 months ago and this has made no differnece.

There are no warning lights on and car does drive fine when it starts, just a little frustrating that I can leave the car for more than a day without battery going flat, howevere this problem does come and ago.

This problem does seem worse when rear windscreen heater is on.
Any ideas?

MikeS

could be an earthing problem also alternator over charging and killing the battery

sdbutler10

there is a problem with the vec c of the alternator packing up on these's

brimfull

I was thinking problem with the alternator, but mechanic says battery is being charged as it should, which suggest that alternator is working. unless its an intermitent fault with the alternator.

MikeS

an alternator can over charge to the point where the battery fails m8
it sounds very alternator / earth related to me

brimfull

If the alternator was overcharging would this have showed up when car was the garage and can this problem be intermittent

MikeS

I am not saying your problem is as a result of alternator over charging m8, just an opinion to investigate

considering your car is can bus then it makes things a hell of a lot harder to diagnose

brimfull

hi,

Garage have found a drain on the battery which disappears when fuse 31 from the engine bay is removed.

This fuse is for the interior control module. Anybody have any idea what this is?

markoneswift

Hi mate, it could well be the alternator. I've just had a very similar issue with my Zafira in that it would run ok for a few days and then suddeenly I would get battery light on and off for a bit and then the car wouldn't start. When tested, the battery was being charged and it was a newish battery too. Turned out the diodes had gone in the alternator and when that happens the alternator can actually load and drain the battery instead of charing it ( the alternator acts more like a motor being driven BY the battery apparently !!!). It was a bit random at first but as soon as I forked for a recon alternator everytihng was fine again.