Almera dead battery - wont start with jump leads

The alarm that rings if you open the door when the lights are on has obviously failed in my 00 Almera (95-00 model). I left the lights on and came back to a completely dead battery today (no lights at all in the dash). When I tried to start it with leads, I saw lights on in the dash, but only a click when I went to turn the starter motor. Anyone know is this likely to be an immobilizer issue?

Rang the main dealer, but they weren't sure whether it was the immobiliser or not. They suggested trying the second key as maybe the chip in the other key had lost its settings. I'm gonna go try that in a while 9need to travel to get to the car), but would appreciate any other ideas anybody might have.

Thanks.

Yawns

when you connected the leads and it didn't start, did you leave them connected for a few mins with the other car's engine running? Then try starting after about 2 - 3 mins. It could be a completly dead battery but I don't think so.

Yawns - thanks for the ray of hope - the battery that is in it is only a few months old. I gave up when it didn't turn over right away. I thought the jump leads meant that I would immediately have access to the power of the donor battery for my starter motor.

Car Mad

Deleted User wrote: »

Yawns - thanks for the ray of hope - the battery that is in it is only a few months old. I gave up when it didn't turn over right away. I thought the jump leads meant that I would immediately have access to the power of the donor battery for my starter motor.

Nope if the battery is completly dead it could take a good while to charge.Take the posters above advice leave the leads on and the other cars engine running for a few mins its often I had to leave jump leads on for 10mins plus before it would even think about swinging over but they wernt new batterys.Also if you can lay your hands on a volt meter test the volts as its chrageing if you can see the volts going up you will know its working and your not wasting your time.

Lovely stuff. I'll bring my multimeter with me to check. I just hope the battery will be okay once left to charge. First order of business tomorrow is check the door switch for the "lights on" alarm. Thanks again.

Car Mad

Deleted User wrote: »

Lovely stuff. I'll bring my multimeter with me to check. I just hope the battery will be okay once left to charge. First order of business tomorrow is check the door switch for the "lights on" alarm. Thanks again.

You have a multimeter your in business so as soon as you put the leads on you should see the volts going up slowly and if they dont start moving any bit the leads could be incorrectly fitted might take a bit of fiddleing around to get them working right.Let us know how you get on.:)

Stoolbend

Deleted User wrote: »

I saw lights on in the dash, but only a click when I went to turn the starter motor.

If it's just one click when you turn the key it could be the starter motor.

barry81

barry81 wrote: »

If it's just one click when you turn the key it could be the starter motor.

I refuse to believe I could anger the powers-that-be enough to have a battery run flat and a starter motor go dead in the same day
I'll post the outcome in a few hours when I get back.

Started fine after a 5 minute charge. Thanks again...

Yawns

glad to hear