What would happen if the car battery became disconnected during travel?
There’s a loose connection on my + car battery terminal (‘cos I damaged it when removing the battery to recharge it). If it came loose during the journey, the electrics would stop working? My car is a diesel, so no need to worry about lacking a spark, but the lights would presumably go out (I live in a part of the world where we have to keep our lights on day as well as night), and all other electricals?
September 6th, 2010 at 6:35 am
The engine powers the electrics while on, you need the battery to start the car
September 6th, 2010 at 6:53 am
Nothing major unless you have a bad alternator. The Alternator charges your battery, as well as powers the car. So if it dies, then you have a bad alternator. Otherwise, nothing major(unless you had likes speakers hooked directly to the battery they might stop working).
September 6th, 2010 at 6:54 am
Everything will work just fine. You will be running off of the alternator. You really only need the battery to start the car.
September 6th, 2010 at 7:21 am
its happend to me b4
the car has no radio, air con or lights or any of that and its will just drive untill it starts struggling and then it will cut out every 5 mins
September 6th, 2010 at 7:47 am
YOU DIE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 6th, 2010 at 8:47 am
If the battery is disconnected while the engine is running 9 times out of 10 it will completely wreck the ECU – cost to repair £400 upwards. Of course the car will stop as well as with no power the fuel valve will close.
September 6th, 2010 at 8:51 am
Remember that there are a huge amount of AMPs going through a car battery and if there is a loose connection you could start a fire under the bonnet.
September 6th, 2010 at 9:40 am
Timbo is correct. Contrary to myth modern vehicles require the battery in circuit to run the ECU, including diesels. With it completely disconnected it will stop, and probably the ECU will be seriously damaged.
September 6th, 2010 at 9:56 am
not a thing as long as the rest of your charging sestem is working as it should but would make it hard to restart after shuting off
September 6th, 2010 at 10:50 am
what would happen is the wire might short out and cause a fire. failing that nuthing might happen. if the wire doesn’t short out the car would keep going and the alternator would keep the electrics going. once you shut it down however it would not start as there is no stored power connected to start the vehicle. the battery would not charge either while you drove once the disconnection happend. bottem line is fix it so you don’t have problems. it not worth looking back and saying i wish i had fixed it proper
September 6th, 2010 at 11:15 am
It wouold run on the alernator but the alternator would burn out because it would have no battery to take the power (juice).