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Nissan Terrano II 2000 - Car not starting :-( - showaddy1

Hi all, I'm a newbie... Just after a bit of advice.

Myself and hubbie are completely useless at mechanics... I own a lovely terrano to pull my horses.. Recently it has been draining the battery, but not everyday and doesn't make any difference if we have left it over the weekend, or whether just popped into the shops. It requires a boost charge to then start.

So far has happened five times, the weather or distance of journey don't make any difference.

Being January, and post christmas skintness, I'm wondering whether to just change the battery and hope for the best..... Or whether to book into garage?

Nissan Terrano II 2000 - Car not starting :-( - Falkirk Bairn

Get the battery tested and test the charging voltage - chances are the battery is duff!

Nissan Terrano II 2000 - Car not starting :-( - Knight150

Check your alternator is good as well . Mine was undercharging recently on my Seat and that lead to a damaged flat battery.

Nissan Terrano II 2000 - Car not starting :-( - xtrailman

Buy yourself a plug in voltmeter to monitor the battery and alternator voltage, i have one in the car permanently it plugs into a power supply socket.

It won't solve a battery problem but will give you warning, i use mine since the alternator wasnt charging the battery correctly, so the battery went flat.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Digital-Auto-Car-Motor-Vehicle-Battery-Voltage-Meter-Tester-Voltmeter-LED-12V-/291350931798

Cheaper on Amazon, they usually read 0.1V high or low.

Nissan Terrano II 2000 - Car not starting :-( - showaddy1

I suspect something is staying on, when the ignition is off... Just bought a new battery, so will soon find out!

I've ordered a 'Haynes' manual... Going to try and sort this myself, well this and the other ongoing faults it has!

Nissan Terrano II 2000 - Car not starting :-( - xtrailman

There are a few videos on utube showing ways to check for parasitic loss.

Beaware though that reconnecting the battery ( if you allow it to disconect) will take some time to settle to a steady currect drain, so allow over twenty minuetes for circuits to go into the off mode.

If you monitor a ammeter you will see the drain steadily decay, from memory my CX-5 ended up on around 50ma.

Nissan Terrano II 2000 - Car not starting :-( - Peter.N.

If the battery appears flat after a relatively short period of non use I would say it certainly needs replacing.