New Kia owner...battery issues...please help!

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idlecaptain - 02 Jul 2005 03:35 GMT

Recently purchased a Kia pride (1991). Have had it for a month, no
probs, way back from Glasto, no probs. Morning after Glasto (tesco and
back), no probs. Go to drive away same afternoon, nothing! No sound,
nothing.

Got mate to use jump leads, car stars fine. Went to drive it an hour
later, nothing. Mate comes round again, same jump lead jooby for
longer...then drive around for over a hour, fine. This morning for
work, flat!

Do I just need to thoroughly charge battery all night? Or buy a new
one? And what price am I looking at for a new battery? Think cheap!!

Any help...please!!!!!

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Jonathan Race - 02 Jul 2005 12:36 GMT

Yes your battery may be the culprit, but it sounds more like your alternator
is dead or dying. You managed to drive it initially because the person you
bought the vehicle from had completely charged the battery before you got
it. As you drove it it wasn't getting charged by the alternator and finally
drained down to the point that your car wouldn't start or run at all. After
a jump from your friend gave you enough juice to drive for a little while,
the same thing happened again (and again).

It doesn't sound like you're in the US, but I'm sure you most likely have an
auto parts store or repair shop that can test your battery and alternator
for you (usually for free), but from what you write I'm almost certain that
it's your alternator. Now the issue is to replace it quick enough before it
also completely kills your battery and you have to replace that as well.

Cheers - Jonathan

> Recently purchased a Kia pride (1991). Have had it for a month, no
> probs, way back from Glasto, no probs. Morning after Glasto (tesco and
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Any help...please!!!!!

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Scraggy - 02 Jul 2005 13:57 GMT

1.Get a Heavy Discharge Test done on the battery, most garages/electrics
services can do this instantly.
2.Get alternator output checked
3.Replace 1.and or 2.

:-)

Signature

I don't care to belong to a club that accepts people like me as
members. Groucho Marx

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David B - 05 Jul 2005 22:53 GMT

>Recently purchased a Kia pride (1991). Have had it for a month, no
>probs, way back from Glasto, no probs. Morning after Glasto (tesco and
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
>Any help...please!!!!!

Signature

You need a new alternator, my friend. When your alternator goes bad (which is
always suddenly), your battery no longer re-charges constantly as you are
driving (which is what an alternator does - re-charges the battery constantly:
this is how the battery gets its 4-5 year life). And so you charge it and you
can run off of it for about an hour. A new alternator is easy to replace and
usually about $100

Later

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