I have a P reg Skoda Felicia estate, in Sherk Green. Its great, but recently the red battery light comes on when starting. It stays on for a little bit, but mostly goes off when driving and mostly when pressing down on the gas. (high revs). I am not car minded but have a newish battery and replaced a alternator some 6 months ago. So far the car has not failed me yet, but I have a baby on the way and need it to work for me.

Also as another point when I turn the car on, although everything works (engine wise) I believe it turns over the car does not start. Wait for some 3 minutes or so, try again and it works.

Any help or guidence would be great. I have a haynes book, but am clueless.

Ant

Hi Arglos and welcome to Briskoda

Try the easy ones first:

since you changed alternator not long ago, maybe the driving belt needs to be tightened? Press the belt right between two pulleys, it shouldn't give in more than a quarter of an inch or maybe a half at the very most. If too loose you sometimes can hear it squeling for a few seconds after start up (but not necessarily)

In your condition maybe you shouldn't bend over under the bonnet but any garage should be able to help you with this simple check.

Starting problems - when (under what conditions)? If I leave work and after a very short trip (5 mins.) stop going into a shop, starting again after just a few minutes, it can be a little tricky. If I press the accelerator just a little bit while turning the key, it starts OK. But when cold or fully warm I have no problems.

If this doesn't help just come back with more details.

Welcome to Briskoda (too)

:iagree:

I'll also add that a garage would be able to test whether the alternator is working correctly too. Reconditioned alternators have been known to have been sold with faults (there's a thread on here about such a case), so I wouldn't discount the alternator being faulty given your description of symptoms.

As for the starting problem, has the car always been like this (how long have you had the car?) or how long has it had this problem?

Welcome!

not to be rude, but what engine do you have?

as the method for tensioning the belt varies depending on the engine..

Can you tell I am new to this?

I have a 1.3 petrol engine. I have had the car for about 2 years, brought from a dealer.

The car first began to over rev. Like I was gunning the engine ala boy racer, however no one was pressing the gas. By quickly dipping the gas hard the car again would over rev and stop over reving returning to normal revs. Sometimes it would do it for a while, but after some 4 or so miles it would stop and all would be good.

I thought it might be something to do with a sensor near the top of the engine or something to do with the whole starting it up bit ( I am a crap spelling).

I had the sparks plugs replaced and also replaced a alternator (from a car breakers in the summer) I also replaced something with a spinng bit in. Also had a HT leads fitted. plus a new air filter. Although it did not solve the over reving totally, some WD40 within the sensor bit (to the left and under the air filter. Gas cable (I think) held on by a what looks like a bike brake cable and end) since then no issues.

The red battery alternator light comes on when I start the car. I first stayed on 2 days ago. It was started and the light remained on for about 5 mins. Some of that time it was just sat there (as its was frosty and I needed the de icer and scrapper) and then driving up the road. I went about 800 meters and the light went out. Drove the 15 miles to work. That night, pretty much the same thing, except on the way home its dark, and the lights side and head lights seems to get brights when I pressed the gas down. It was dark and dank and a bit foggy. Today, same thing really, but while this has started it has been super cold here. (-10 at night and still) could the weather have something to do with this?

I have been looking at a book and will try the drive belt but need to get some more info at the moment, as the book really flys thro this bit.

Ant

If you have the haynes manual- its crap for the drivebelt bit!

THe tensioner for the drivebelt on the 1.3 is operated by a pulley directly BELOW the pully on the alternator bracket.

Tension appears to be adjusted by the black adjuster below the sparkplugs.

It has 2x allen key bolts holding it onto the alternator bracket.

this moves the pulley along the belt.

Might be outdated this thread but to me it sounds like your "newish" battery and/or alternator might be dieing.

A car with heater, de icer, stereo, and lots of lighting might pull more then it can charge if the alternator is a bit bad.

Also batteries just plain dont work that well when its cold.

I think the best thing might be to deliver it to a shop/or good mechanic friend and ask them to test how its charging.

If you go crying back to the breaker you might get a new used one or a good deal on another one. Ofcourse the tension might be wrong, but i dont think that would come that sudden. And i think you would hear that awful sound.