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Problem starting the car - hopefully battery related



  Civic Type R FN2
Hi all,
I think my car has an issue with the battery. After a short (maybe 5 mile) drive to pick up my dad it wouldn't start again within 5 minutes of turning the car engine off.
Well instead my dad drove and I left the car at his. We got back within an hour and the car started ok (well I say ok, but it wasn't a "confident" start in my opinion). I turned the engine off and tried to restart but it wouldn't start - it just coughed, and instead of turning over it just clicked.
So we plugged the battery up to charge, left it 40 minutes and of course it started. The revs seemed to fluctuate a little at idle (the more I type the more I'm convinced it's the battery).

For the last week I've noticed when driving at night that the dipped beam lights would get dimmer and brighter whilst I'm driving, usually whilst I'm getting up to speed. And on the drive home from my dad's I noticed this again, also when I flashed the lights (to say thanks) the CD/radio turned off for a moment. This was only 2 minutes after starting the car, and after another 10 minutes when I tried it, it didn't happen (I assume the battery had enough power to cope with the sudden increase in current).
Then when I got home everything seemed normal (constant idle, full beam worked, nothing out of the ordinary at all).

I'm pretty much a noob when it comes to cars, but is this just something a new battery would sort (perhaps the cold weather put it on it's last legs) or something worse i.e. alternator?
Cheers.
 
  clio 172 cup
sounds like either ur battery isn't holding a charge or the alternator isn't charging it. is there any lights came on dashboard
 
The cold weather can amplify a weak battery, if you have access to an alternative suitable battery for your Clio, it may be worth swapping to that first.

If you still have the issue then at least you have found that the battery is not the issue.
 
  Civic Type R FN2
Dash lights comes on, as do headlights when the car is turned off.
Had it tested yesterday and they noticed it had a lower than normal reading. It seems to start if I go on a long enough journey, but I'm getting a new battery tomorrow as the one in the car now looks like it's been there from when the car was first registered.
 


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