Bessacarr E560 Dashboard Battery Light on (1 Viewer)

[Bibnaj22]

Hi Everyone,
Newby here with a little bit of a head scratcher.
Fiat Bessacarr E560 2009 with a battery query. My engine battery went flat over winter, as it is stored with no hook up available.
I removed the battery and charged it up at home. The battery is a Halfords one, 18 months old and in good condition. When I put the battery back on, neg lead first then as I connected the positive lead the vehicle horn would not stop. I had to put the ignition key in and turn it once then I could connect the positive lead without issue. This done, I then started the engine without issue. My issue currently is, the red battery light is now displayed on my dashboard and my radio would not work. Took her out for 25 miles and the light is still on. This was last week, today I started the engine without issue and bingo (or so I thought) the radio came on and no red engine light displayed, I thought all was well and then the radio went off and the red battery light appeared. Engine running fine so no issues there, leisure battery is reading low on the display panel but I would have thought this will charge when I take her out for a long run. Not sure where to go from here, concerned the engine battery will flatten and leave us stranded. Would appreciate and advice please, its our first MoHo and we loved having her out and about (when we could) last year.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Phill D]

Hi and welcome,

i would think that the horn sounding was your alarm system which needed the key to overide it.
is it possible your low habitation battery is the the problem, if both hab and cab batteries are charged from the altenator is it possible that the hab battery is so low its causing the alternator a problem.

maybe worth removing the Hab battery for a charge then putting it back in place and seeing if that sorts you out.

the other thing to try if you have aa multi meter is to check the voltage at the cab battery after its been sitting for a few hours resting and then checking it again with the engine running. you will at least know if the alternator is giving an output.

there are other members who are more upto date than i in matters 12v who i am sure will give some advice soon.

 

[Bibnaj22]

Hi Phil,
Thank you for your kind welcome.
Thanks for the advice, I will now take out the Hab battery, charge it and see if that helps.
I will also borrow my mates volt meter and see what's going on there also. The radio thing completely blew my mind.
Thanks again I now have a plan.
Steve

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[GeoffnDee]

Hello Steve and welcome, It could be a problem with the earth lead between the engine and body, they sometimes have a problem when they look ok but are faulty and cause strange electrical events. You could, when parked up, run a jump lead from the engine to a good body earth to see if it helps and if it does add an extra engine earth lead.
When disconnecting your batteries I find it safer to remove the negative (earth) lead first, and then secondly the positive one, then when reconnecting fit the negative (earth) lead last, after fitting the positive one.

 

[Bibnaj22]

Hi Geoff,
Thank you for this info. I did actually try to jump it from my Tiguan but without success. That's when I disconnected it to take home and charge.
I have over the years been quite successful at restarting engines but it did not want to jump at all. I will look at adding a second earth lead, you never know it could and hopefully be a simple fix.
Thanks again.
Steve

 

[GeoffnDee]

Ok Steve, I did not mean for you to try to jump start the van but to use one of the jump start leads as a temporary added earth lead between the engine and body to see if it solved the problem and then add another engine earth lead if it did. ( Although it could be worth adding an extra engine earth lead anyway)

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[TerryL]

With the warning light on it sounds more like a fail(ing) alternator. With the engine running the battery should be showing an input of around 14v.

You should be able to see this on the main control panel by pushing a couple of buttons - check your handbook.

 

[Bibnaj22]

Hi Guys,
Geoff, yes, understood your initial response thanks I may have termed my reply to you incorrectly sorry, all clear though.
Terry, good point I will have a look at the main panel see what's happening there.
Thanks guys, when I get to the bottom of this I will update on here.
Here goes.