Cars dead or nearly dead :-(

[CMF_Napster]

As you can tell from the title my micra has a problem :-( the car started fine yesterday morning and got to college fine and parked up. the car had been parked up for about 7hours with it being started or moved. after college i went to it. did the usual, put key in ignition and turned "two clicks" the four lights are displayed on my "instrument panel (battery, air bag light etc)" when the airbag light goes off i then usualy start the car. so the light went off. i turned the key to start the car, but NOTHING HAPPENED except all lights faded on the display. the car didnt even tick over :-( the car was left over night at college and i only live a mile away from so not to bad. i couldnt do anything about it yesterday cause i was working till late and it was rainning so i left it till this morning.
my mate and i got it started with jump leads and so i drove it back home about 30 minutes ago.
i got home fine, parked up and thought ill try the car again:
"however the same is happening. the car isnt starting and all the lights failing"
i have power to headunit and lights etc, but thats expected though isnt it even if i have got a flat battery?

is this a "battery problem" or an "alternator problem" or something else?

thanks
napster

 

[CMF_White Knight]

I would say battery for sure.

 

[CMF_Napster]

ok thanks WHITE KNIGHT
getting other feedback form other forum aswell.

not sure what problem is at the moment, but it started fine yestday, 7hours later dean, and still dead now even after driving it home?

how come the battery didnt charge on the drive home though??

napster

 

[mik]

Did you change something on your SoundSystem? I know it sounds stupid, but often my battery lost charge when i changed something.

Check the alternator, how much the energy output is. i don't think that its broken, but give it a try.

If the alternator is fine, then i would say that the battery is the fault.

 

[CMF_Yom]

If the alternator was also dead you wouldnt be able to drive very far either.

Get a new battery ASAP because all this strain on your alternator could cause more expensive problems. Like buying a new alternator.

 

[mik]

Yeah good point, i forgot about that. Shure if the alternator is busted, then you won't come very far. So really check the battery.

 

[CMF_micra-man]

Check all the wires and connections at the positive terminal on your battery.

I had a similar problem and it was because one of these plugs had worked it's way out some how.

 

[CMF_nz_aj]

You only drove it a mile home, so the alternator would not have charged the battery, hence same problem.
Didn't leave the interior light on by any chance?

 

[CMF_Napster]

well thought you might want to know that my micra is back on the road

it was a battery problem. one of the cells had died and not enough power to start the car.

i got a new battery and the car started first time.

in answer to the "interior light left on" the answer is "no". when the car didnt start for the 1st time i thought i might be battery and had left a light on. i checked my indiactor stalks but they wher off and the light was in the middle. i had power still to interior so was confused, but its all good now.

thanks for your help lads.
napster