No power to anything but starts and runs?

[dub-ha8]

Ok its my old 1996 K11 1.3 16v auto

Right I was driving down the road and started to smell burning so i pulled over as i also lost drive.

Now it has no lights anywhere, no wipers, no central locking, basically its like getting into a car with no battery.

The good bit...

Even though it has no power to anything and no lights on the dash etc the car WILL START and run but if you put it into drive nothing happens

I thought with it being cold I'll call the AA

He said right your alternator has burnt out and that was the smell but he hadn't a clue why the car would start and run (using battery power what was left i guess) and no other part/light wouldn't?

Right I'm handy on the spanners so I will fit another alternator soon but my question(s) is do these Micra's have some sort of main fuse/relay that cuts all the power?

Why would it start and run?

Thanks if your collective knowledge can work this out.

 

[Belly93]

i would have thought if there was a main relay that had burnt out or popped then it wouldnt run at all

 

[pollyp]

if the engine runs, check the alternator is producing 14v then switch off & check all the cabin & engine bay fuses