Hi all,

Any help is gratefully received.

I was jump starting an old car at the weekend that had sat idle for some time and used my Skoda Fabia to do so. It is a 1.4 MPI automatic.

The jump start didn't work but that's not the problem. I accidentally (and stupidly I admit) simply placed the jump leads on the ground whilst still connected to the fabia battery. On of them got knocked or something and as a consequence they touched and there was a spark . I disconnected the jump leads from the battery and of course they were hot and some of the insulation had melted. I cannot recall whether the Fabia started again after this and then I tried the jump start again but the Fabia is not working now.

 

I need to know if I could have done some serious damage and if so, what?

 

Currently, the car won't start it ticks repeatedly when I try it but the dash lights come up. The Battery and EPC lights only stay on. The radio went in to SAFE mode but then seemed to remember itself and start working again. The radio isn't of real concern.

 

Any help of guidance is appreciated.

 

First of all you need to check the battery voltage and get it fully recharged, then find out if all is still okay, what you are describing is a discharged battery being used to try to start a car.

Thanks, I could try jump start from another car or should I just replace the battery?

Could I have done any damage potentially to the internal electrics?

 

Thanks so much

Im sure Halfords will do a battery check if you take the battery into your local store.

Edited 3 August, 201510 yr by sam_W

I did something similar once and, if you don't change the battery now, I feel you will need to soon.

Almost certainly it is the killed battery that it causing your current problems and may even stop the car from starting with jump leads. For the price of a new battery I would just get on with it.

 

My 2 cents worth.

Steve

 

Could I have done any damage potentially to the internal electrics?

 

 

 

I very much doubt it. As the others have said, it's probably just killed the battery.

By following the laws of physics, the current from the battery went on the way with the lower resistance (this is why it's called a short circuit), causing it to overheat and discharge extremely quick.