Does anyone know how the magic eye works on the car's battery? i went out yesterday morning to go to work and the car would not start it is an Octavia classic 2008/57 1.9 TDI PD i looked in the log book and it said something about a magic eye so i looked at the battery but could not see anything there in the magic eye , so just got my next door neighbor to help me push it over to the front door and i plugged the charger in and left it for an hour and it started fine anyone else know how to inspect the battery?

i know its american but he's pretty much right

Dunno mate but i'am having a very similar problem if i leave the car for a few days the battrie is drained, and i've got one of the bosch £140 batrries alternator light some times flashes when driving and i changed the alternator for one i know is working 100% so i think my wiring harness might be at fault with some corrosion or so... but that youtube clip is a good guide

Sounds like you have a dodgy battery or a faulty earth ... I'd put a multi metre over the battery terminals without the engine running to check the voltage it should be floating above. 12 volts if not either your charging circuit it fubared or the battery Is limp.. Then start the car leave it running for a minute or so then metre the battery again it should be charging around 13.8 if the voltage is above that the alternators fine but the battery's weak

Hope this helps

You can't do a specific gravity test on modern batteries, so the only thing you can do is borrow a drop tester/load tester. However, if the magic eye is empty, it's a pretty reasonable indicator that the battery is on it's last legs. It won't see you through the winter.

Do you really want to be let down on that first REALLY cold morning...

thanks for the reply's guys took it to the garage and tested the alternator and battery and said that the battery is needing changed the battery is nearly 5 years old same age as the car, he said that cause the meter computer and radio is also connected up (private hire car) can wear the battery out faster and i took it to a local auto store and they gave me a new heavy duty battery for £60 hopefully it should stay charged

Edited 22 November, 201213 yr by racing boy

glad you got it sorted mate, now it'll be the ball joints or the bushes next haha