Pug 207 starting

[BazzaS]

I've a Peugeot 207 Urban. From time to time when starting the engine will turn over as if there's no life in the battery. Give it a second go and it will spin over and start normally. This is an intermittent problem and most confusing as to why the two behaviours. Could this be just dirty or corroded battery/earth connections ? or what ?
all advice gratefully received.
Thanks

 

[Burnerman]

Certainly that's worth considering......check for any heat at the battery terminals and earth connection next time it gets grumpy.
It could be a starter motor fault though - what sort of mileage has the car done?
John

 

[BazzaS]

Thanks Burnerman
Its done 44000 miles - it's 2007 reg year.

 

[Burnerman]

That mileage is reasonable enough - starter motor wise - unless the car is always being stopped and started. Not much help I know, but go over the battery connections for tightness and corrosion, and feel for any generated heat on starting. Include the connection at the starter motor, if you can reach it.
Is the battery original, by any chance? Its getting on a bit if it is and they don't give much warning pending failure these days.
John

 

[Dave54]

The last couple of batteries I had go just went as John says. One start they were fine, the next dead. One was on a Ford, around 7 years old completely dead (It would give faint lights), the other on the VW was a replacement, about 5 years old IIRC.

 

[Peter.N.]

That happens when the battery capacity gets low, because of their construction they are still capable of providing enough current to start the engine - but sometimes only once until they are recharged.

Its amazing that a battery with perhaps only 25% of its capacity left will still start a car, something to do with the way they are made now, lots of thin plates so still a good surface area even when they are falling to pieces.

Peter