How would i tell?

Reason i ask is last week i took the car for like a 1.5 mile drive, and on the way back i lost power from the battery, pulled up, tryed starting and i got the famous alarm chirp for low voltage in the battery

now the car has been stood for a while but surly the alternator just 'stopped working' can it?

 

You would have gotten all the warning lights come up, batt, abs etc if the alternator had gone, plus the car would just stop so doubt it will be a battery if that happened.
Is it a new age car?

Tony

 

IMHO (!) dis-claimer....

Security issue, immobiliser cutting the ignition or fuel perhaps ? This could actually be caused by the alternator draining power from the battery....

HTH

DunxC

 

iv got a mystery abs light on, no batt light or anything else

its a classic

dunx tell me more about the alarm issue...youve got me worried now?

 

ttt please help meee

 

what year is your car?

Haroon.

 

its a 1999

 

Local radio transmitters can "jam" your system....

Seriously, if it's on it's last legs it could immobilise the engine, I don't work on them professionally, but it's got to be battery, alternator or electronics.

1. Charge battery
2. Get alternator checked out.
3. Auto-electrician on the alarm side.

Sorry !

DunxC

 

Charge the battery and then measure the voltage between it's terminals using a voltmeter. A good battery will be somewhere between 12.6 to 13 volts immediately after charging. Start the car and measure again and you should see an increase in voltage to over 13 volts up to 14 volts if the charging system is working. If not then it could be the alternator itself but is more likely the regulator assembly that converts the AC output from the alternator to DC voltage required.
Kevin