Hi, after purchasing a Skoda from a used car garage I got it back and when I went to restart it again it kept trying to start but wouldn't so it ended up making a screeching sound. (Once it was back at the garage it turned out to be the starter motor and battery dying.) Also realised the key ignition switch wasn't working correctly. When turning the key there is no spring to turn it back to number 1. Took it back to the garage and asked for a refund but they insisted on fixing it. A week later I picked the car up after they had put in a new starter motor and they also put in a new Halford's battery but the battery seems smaller than the last one and is 360 start power. Is this apt for my car?

Anyway, I got it back this time, went to start the car again about 5 minutes later and the battery was completely flat. Alternator failure? I jump started the car but everytime tried turning on full beam to check out the lights the car stalled. Also, I just realised that the headlights don't work, yet the full beam works even though it stalls the car. There's no light on the dash indicating the lights are on. The garage is being completely useless and I need some advice, what could be wrong with the car? Thanks a lot.

It does sound like the alternator. You would have thought a proper garage would have realised this. Also there should be lights on the dash (on the vertical strip between the instruments) to indicate full beam, dipped beam and sidelights so if these don't come on there may be other issues. Though perhaps they only work if the alternator is charging. Seems unlikely but electrics can be odd like that.

Doesn't sound like a good start to Felicia ownership. Hope it gets better but it does sound like you need to go back to the garage.

Thanks a lot for your response. I'm waiting for the garage to collect the car as the battery is so dead everytime I jump start the car the engine will stall.

With the lights, is it possible this is the result of the battery being flat as the garage advised me or would this be a separate fault?

Not sure about that. Obviously if the battery is that flat and the alternator not working then there won't be enough power for the lights but the warning light only takes a tiny amount of power. I think you need to get the battery/alternator sorted first. I'm sure someone else on here knows more about this than I do.