Hi guys,

It's been a while since I've been on here.

Anyway I own an 2006 Octavia VRS, unfortunately for a few reasons it's been left to stand on the drive for the last 9 months or so. I've decided it's time to now get it back on the road/sell it and move on.

Before it was left the car ran perfectly fine but now after booking my MOT I can't get it to start.

Now this is probably a REALLY stupid question but is it simply the battery, there's no dash lights on or anything and I have to unlock using the key in the door. I've tried to jump it using another car and leads with no luck, has the battery just totally died and will a brand new battery fix the issues straight away?

As I say probably a really stupid question but need this sorting as soon as possible.

thanks in advance.

Sounds like a dead battery indeed. Perhaps the other car had not enough strength (good battery) to start it? While you used jump cables the lights on the dash came on?

Edited 16 May, 201610 yr by ThomasItis

Hi Thomas,

The other car was a brand new diesel juke so imagine there was enough power.

I'll get down to euro car parts and try a new battery. Alternatively would a trickle charger work or do they only keep healthy batteries going?

Cheers.

If the battery was left very long time without recharging it is almost certain that trying to recharge will do nothing. Before buying new battery can't you give a try to transfer the healthy battery from the Juke, for example, and see what happens?

The juke is a company car so don't want to be messing with it really, was my original plan but it's not worth the trouble.

Will cough up the money for a new battery and hopefully that should fix everything.

It does sound like a dead battery problem of which after that time it would be well flat, and probably killed off with the cold winter weather.

 

Freezing weather can soon kill a lowly charged battery.

 

I have had my A4 off road for a good while but kept a trickle charge on it, and made sure it was fully charged when the freezing temperatures hit.

 

Was yours garaged? I had to cover my wheels over, with a cut up dinghy believe it or not, and I gave it a run the other day and no seized brakes luckily. A good run should scrub the disc's clean hopefully, and I left the handbrake off.

 

And Mike, fyi a battery on a new vehicle can be low on power just as easily as a battery on an older vehicle. Yes, it will be a new(ish) battery but there is a chance that it has already been jump started before it was sold.

It wasn't garaged or covered in anyway, I'm expecting the worst but we will see hat happens when I sort a battery.

Annoying thing is I know it's a fail on the mot as the airbag light is on.

I had left my old corsa to stand for 4 months, wouldent start, had to get some new wiring done and new battery.

It wasn't garaged or covered in anyway, I'm expecting the worst but we will see hat happens when I sort a battery.

Annoying thing is I know it's a fail on the mot as the airbag light is on.

You can find a member with vagcom who can sort that out easily.

It wasn't garaged or covered in anyway, I'm expecting the worst but we will see hat happens when I sort a battery.

Annoying thing is I know it's a fail on the mot as the airbag light is on.

Unless you are willing to pay the garage that is doing the mot, for the work that the car requires to pass, try and sort any issues first. Otherwise there is no point in taking it knowing it is going to fail.

 

If your brakes aren't seized, (and that is a big if) you will at least need to give the car a good run to scrub the brakes clean.

 

You could try charging the battery if you have, or could borrow a charger.

A completely flat battery (like yours) will take an age to even start accepting a charge, but if you could leave it charging for a few days it may charge it eventually.

Good luck with your mot.

Ok, so new battery fitted and still nothing.

I've booked it in for the mot so I can get a full list of the issues, and unfortunately no one in my area was would take a look when I've previously asked.

Need to get it running by Saturday ideally. Next logical steps? Check fuses? Surely they wouldn't just stop working? Couldn't be immobiliser could it?

Again thanks for any tips.

Edited 18 May, 201610 yr by mikeSUFC

Long time ago I left a car outside over winter and had to replace the plugs before it would start. I guess it was moisture but couldn't see anything amiss on the old plugs. However, this was a simple coil plus distributor type of car but maybe worth a look at your plugs.

Long time ago I left a car outside over winter and had to replace the plugs before it would start. I guess it was moisture but couldn't see anything amiss on the old plugs. However, this was a simple coil plus distributor type of car but maybe worth a look at your plugs.

But I have no dash lights so surely that eliminates the plugs? (For now at least)

If it's still not unlocking with the new battery then there is an issue with the electrical circuits close to the battery. For all the electrics to be dead I would be looking at the main fuse, the earth straps etc. I would also be using a multimeter to get an idea where power is getting to. You can do simple tests like checking if you have power to the cigarette lighter etc.

Inside overhead light coming on or glove box light? If they aren't coming on then start looking at your main fuses and contact clamps on the battery... They can become corroded with dampness causing a poor or broken contact.... Wire brush both the positive and negative.

Do you have the row of fuses on top of the batter ? Odds are one of them blow. When u tried to jump start the car did u go direct to battery with jump lead? Seen before when folk have cliped lead to the power feed for fuses and that will defo blow the fuse. Where abouts are you ?

No lights in the glove box or interior.

Just try a multi meter on the top of the fuses? What should it read.?

Any particular numbers to check first?

sorry, I'm terrible with the electrics side of things not too bad with a spanner though.

Do you have the row of fuses on top of the batter ? Odds are one of them blow. When u tried to jump start the car did u go direct to battery with jump lead? Seen before when folk have cliped lead to the power feed for fuses and that will defo blow the fuse. Where abouts are you ?

Sorry mate, hasn't refreshed the thread so missed your post.

Off the top of my head I'm not sure but I don't think so, I'll check in a while. I've tried both direct to battery and bare metal.

I'm in Rotherham, South Yorkshire pal.

Wath/ swinton side or sheff side. Im at hoyland and dont mind helping u out if u not too far away

Is it petrol or derv ?

More Swinton side mate, I'm in Rawmarsh.

It's petrol.

Any help would be greatly appreciated and of course there'll be some beer tokens in return.

Is there any fuses under the battery top cover if fitted ? If not i believe the fuse box is to the right of the battery stood in ftont of car. Under the lid along the front of the fuse board there should be a row of nuts, below are the main fuses. With a test lamp check there is power at each side of the fuse.

Assuming a multi meter will work too? I don't have a test lamp but can get a multi meter easily.

I've sent you a pm pal.

Yep that should do the job. What u should have is a steel plate with the fuses conected with nuts to it then power leads below the fuse that go off to diffrent places on your motor.

I've had a quick look just now and it looks as though it's under the fuse box. Seemed to be plenty of bolts though so unsure which ones need to be removed.

It was a really quick look though with no shoes on in the rain so I'm sure it will be come more clear in the dry. (I hope)