Nissan Micra (1.2 2006) won't start

[Gaaraz]

Hi,

I don't know the specifics but my girlfriend has just said her car won't start - apparently it makes a strange noise and the dashboard lights start flashing, but it won't actually start up or tick over.

Before we call the breakdown recovery people, is there anything at all we can try? I wasn't sure if it was maybe an immobiliser issue or similar so she's trying her other key now.

Thanks!

 

[Guy]

Any particular dash light or the whole lot?

 

[Enuo]

Try swapping battery. Getting colder now, batteries on their last legs tend to get finished off with a cold spell.

 

[Gaaraz]

Thanks both, I've managed to get a video (please excuse the breathing at the start - I had just got back from football!)



I think it is the battery, but I'm just wondering:

1) Is it worth trying to jump start it? Apparently you can't jump start modern cars?
2) Does it definitely look like the battery?
3) How do you know if the battery is dead or just drained? ie will it do it again?

Thanks

 

[Enuo]

Get multimeter. Measure voltage accross the bsttery terminals, should be about 12.7V odd. Get someone to crank the car and measure, it shouldn't drop much below 12V. If this isn't the case, battery is probably dead. The cold weather will kill off a fair few batteries that are already on there last legs eh.
Also, if you replace the battery and it starts, check you have just over 14V accross the battery while the engine is running to ensure you do not have an alternator issue.

 

[Hooky]

Mine did the same (dash lights flickering ) when the battery died. The call out guy did jump start my car for me (so that can be done). But at the end of the day a New Battery was called for. FYI alternator on charge voltage across battery terminals should be 14.4 volts.

 

[Gaaraz]

Thanks all for the replies I called the breakdown recovery people in the end and they jumped the car without any troubles - just in case the battery is actually dead (or an alternator problem etc as mentioned by Enuo) we have dropped the car off at the mechanics - it's due an MOT this month anyway so figured it was good to get everything sorted in one go