[Ed]

In my slow quest to figure out my car's starting problem (which is probably knackered battery, but I'm too tight to buy a new one just now) I've got a question.

When the battery is flat should the battery gauge show? I ask because when lighting up my dash before starting it, the gauge shows half, yet the car usually won't start.

I think I've actually got a bad connection to the starter motor.

 

[Dom]

When the battery gets below 9 volts (ish) then the digidash wont light up anyway.

Its not the voltage across the battery that determines whether a car will start, its the charge left in the battery. A "flat" battery can still show 12 volts across the terminals.

Put your headlights on and see if they dim when you're trying to start it. If they do and the car wont turn over, the battery is flat.

 

[ChrisB]

Its not the voltage across the battery that determines whether a car will start, its the charge left in the battery. A "flat" battery can still show 12 volts across the terminals.

Yeah. I usually go by what the battery gauge drops to during cranking though.

 

[Johnny A]

There maybe 12V running on the battery, but if there is no Amps, there is no power baby!!