No battery, no f***ing brakes!

[alloydog]

Our battery died today. Fortunately, it was in the car park of a superstore that has a car section. We bought a new battery, but I figured that if we got the car bump started, I could change the battery at home.

A guy from the shop helped me push, with my Mrs driving. As the car rolled down hill, it still wouldn't start. The car rolled into the road, with cars coming from both directions - I was shouting to the Mrs, "BRAKE!!!"

Apparently she was trying to. She even pumped the brake peddle, but nothing happened. She hit the hazards and used the handbrake to stop.

I was a bit surprised, because when the car has rolled, for ex. in car park, even without the engine running, the brakes worked. But this time no. They worked fine for the drive home.

We got the battery changed by the shop - they towed the car (307 SW) to the shop with a quad-bike.

[JazzJPH]

When the battery is that low, the car won't even bump start. I experienced that in a polo last week. That wasn't fun

[alloydog]

The went flat for the first time about a month back. I was in the local McDonald's car park. It was totally flat, would even turn the engine. A bloke helped bump start it - it started quite easily.

This time, there seemed to be a fair bit of charge, and the for the first few tries, the engine turned over quite well - just wouldn't fire.

[john_h]

i know without the engine being on, you dont get the servo assistance and need to really press on the brake pedal to get them to effectively come on. thats my experiance anyways.

[alloydog]

Originally Posted by john_h

i know without the engine being on, you dont get the servo assistance and need to really press on the brake pedal to get them to effectively come on. thats my experiance anyways.

That's my experience as well, but this time the Mrs was behind the wheel (I was running behind the car!), and she said the brakes didn't work at all.

Next time I use the local shopping centre's car park, I'll turn the engine off on the down ramp...

[john_h]

women drivers

if its anything like the ramps in most multistory car park, the ramps are pretty steep. and with no servo assisted brakes i dont think most people will be able to press the brakes enough to stop the car...bad enough with assisted brakes.

was it defo just a bad battery and replacing it sorted it?

[alloydog]

Yeah, new battery sorted it.

The old one was the original, so would have been nigh on ten years old. Also, we use the car mainly for short runs, and this winter has been a lot colder than the past few, so the battery has been hammered hard.