Just had 2 days of hell where my 04 4.4 V8 petrol wouldn't start.

Symptoms: Put the key in ignition and turned to stage 2 and all the interior lights worked, dashboard light come on as normal, steering wheel moved etc. but on pushing through to stage 3 (ignition) there was a resounding clunk and everything stopped, lights off etc.

Checked there was a proper contact between the battery poles (?) and the cables and rings. Same again. Charged the battery..... nothing....

Solution: noticed when I put the negative (Earth) cable back on the battery pole there was a spark and a bit of smoke!! checked all the connections and noticed that on the neg connector where the wire attaches to the ring/connector, the protective sleeve had ridden back up and exposed the wire. Put some electrician's tape on the exposed wire and everything back to normal! started with a lion's roar! So must have been shorting out on the earth/neg pole.

Ps this could have been the source of my earlier problems when driving along, all sorts of warning lights came on etc. (see previous post (Help!!)



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What was shorting out? If it was the neg cable its supposed to be / already connected to the neg pole? I usually get a spark and a ping of smoke when I reconnect, especially if I don't "go" for it. .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

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