Hello all.
Sorry I've been off for about four months but here I am again. Did you miss me? Do you know who I am? Thought not.
Anyway: SHMBO was using her shiney new Nissan Alimra Tino 1.8l today and was listening to music while waiting for an appointment. Air can wasn't on, but the usual fan was on to cool the car down - engine off.
After she got back from her appointment the car wouldn't start. Every time she tried to start it the doors would lock and unlock. Cue panic phone call to me (and I know nothing about cars) so I said "Are you pressing the lock/unlock button on the key when you turn it in the ignition?" and I got a boomed NO from her.
After half an hour the RAC turned up and diagnosed a flat battery.
The car is a month old (from new) and has been driven by both herself me, so it's getting a decent charge in it and went on a 160 mile motorway and around town trip on Saturday. It's done 900 miles in the last month and I've just checked to make sure none of the courtesy lights are on while the car is off. Without the key in and the doors closed it is behaving exactly like it should - with just the immob light flickering on every second or so.
There is no alarm on it and no obvious objects draining power from the battery.
SHMBO did what she was told by Mr. RAC and went around for an hour after he started it (and presumably put a small charge in it) so it's got some juice left and is performing normally now.
I got out my voltmeter and touched the battery terminals while the engine was off and it was giving off 12.8v. With the engine on it's giving 14.3v which only goes up by about 0.05v when I rev it to
2,500rpm.When I used to 'do' cars before joining the Dark Side and moving to motorcycles I remember my battery used to give off about 12.2v when the engine was off and 12.8v when revved to 2,500rpm.
For her new Nissan, does 12.8v from a battery in an 'off' engine sound normal? 14.3v sounds a little high when the engine is on but I'm assuming that is because the battery is being re-charged.
She's taking it back to the main dealer tomorrow for 'piece of mind' but does it sound reasonable for a reasonably used new car with 900 miles on the clock to suffer from a dead battery after just 40 minutes listening to a CD and the fan (not air con) being on? In her Shit Old Astra she would sometimes do the same thing for up to two hours and still have no problems with battery charge.
Take care,
--Nick.