# flat battery



## igglepiggle (Nov 7, 2007)

ideas please
towing my aygo from wales on wed to comm woods on arrival
unhook the car and turn the key batt flat as pan cake 

spoke to another m/h who had same promlem

any ideas please 
dave


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## Mdwilson40 (Jul 15, 2012)

How old is the car?, how old is the battery? & was it cold when you arrived in Wales?, if it is a very cold day & if it is a battery more than 3 years old it may well have struggled to start the car, this is the most common cause of cars not starting in the wintertime.


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## igglepiggle (Nov 7, 2007)

car is 61 plate


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

It sounds as if there was a constant drain on the car battery as you were towing.

I am not familiar with the set up but does the power for the rear lights, indicators, brake lights come from the towing vehicle (which I think it should) or the car battery?

It certainly sounds as if something was left on - could the interior light have been on? Or is there a relay which should open or close when it is being towed to ensure the power comes from the towing vehicle and not the towed car?

Batteries do fail, but not that rapidly IMO, if it was working whyenyou hitcehd it up and not when you arrived a few hours later it sounds more like a drain than a battery failure and on a 61 plate that is not an old battery......

Dave


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## tonymeadley (Dec 7, 2012)

*Towing*

Hi Dave

I tow a Toyota Yaris on a A Frame and I have the same problem. The reason for the battery drain is that when the brake is applied even though it is plugged into the motorhome it will use the power from the cars battery.

The best way to check this is to sit in the car depress the brake pedal and get someone to check if the brake lights are on (I guess they will be on) then what you need to do is either disconnect the - terminal or have a switch fitted.

Tony


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## tonymeadley (Dec 7, 2012)

*Towing*

Hi Dave

I tow a Toyota Yaris on a A Frame and I have the same problem. The reason for the battery drain is that when the brake is applied even though it is plugged into the motorhome it will use the power from the cars battery.

The best way to check this is to sit in the car depress the brake pedal and get someone to check if the brake lights are on (I guess they will be on) then what you need to do is either disconnect the - terminal or have a switch fitted.

Tony


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Tony

Nice theory but just how long are the brake lights going to be on during such a journey??

Car batteries can sustain parking lights all night !!!

Did you leave the ignition turned on to free up the steering lock?? If you DID then that would be the cause. 

Turn ign on, then turn it all the way OFF but DONT withdraw the key. that way the steering will remain free with no battery drain. The steering only locks AFTER the key is actually withdrawn from the ignition barrel !!


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## igglepiggle (Nov 7, 2007)

hi thx mr plodd normally i turn the key as if to start then back 1



thx again


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## igglepiggle (Nov 7, 2007)

hi thx mr plodd normally i turn the key as if to start then back 1



thx again


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## CPW2007 (Aug 17, 2007)

*Re: Towing*



tonymeadley said:


> Hi Dave
> 
> I tow a Toyota Yaris on a A Frame and I have the same problem. The reason for the battery drain is that when the brake is applied even though it is plugged into the motorhome it will use the power from the cars battery.
> 
> ...


Hi Tony,

We've been towing my Peugeot 107 (08 plate) behind the motorhome for a good 4 years and never had any problems with a flat battery etc. We have the Car-a-Tow A frame and associated electrickery and it's never caused us any problems.

Regards

Chris


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## igglepiggle (Nov 7, 2007)

sorry about the repeats dont know whats going on 

it happen last night


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## Spiritofherald (May 18, 2012)

I would guess it's more likely to be an alternator fault preventing the battery from charging. Get hold of a multimeter and check you have around 13.5 volts across the battery terminals when the engine is running. With engine off you shopuld get 12.5 volts on a fully charged battery. 

If you're not getting around 13.5 volts then it could be a slipping drive belt, a loose connection, or at worse the alternator needs replacing.

If you don't have a meter then any battery supplier, including Halfords, will check it quickly for you. They will also use specialist equipment to check if the battery is faulty - and they won't usually charge you just to test it.


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## Kev1 (Apr 4, 2011)

We have a Perodua and have exactly the same problem. 
Part of what happens when we stop and park up
The tow car pushes the sliding brake mechanism forward and applies the brakes the brake lights then stay on on both the tow car and the camper van whilst parked. The lights of both vehicles being run from the little car
being towed. I now ensure the little care being towed is pushed back and the lights are off.

Improved things somehat but still get flat battery on a long tow

Kev


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## Kev1 (Apr 4, 2011)

just fully read the thread
I also turned the key 1 notch (As instructed in the tow frame manual)
I will check to see if the steering is free with just the key in the barrel

Kev


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## HarleyDave (Jul 1, 2007)

You could probably set up a connection to charge your toad battery whilst on tow - like a tugger would do for his caravan battery.

Cheers

Dave


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## Oscarmax (Mar 3, 2011)

Funny, had exactly the same problem in September 2012, Autotrail motorhome and Toyota Aygo, never happened before in the past 3 years, and has not happened again ?

However,

On the way down from Mid Wales to the New Forest for approximately 150 miles it was very foggy so we had the motorhome lights on, which in turn power up the Toyota Aygo lights.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Kev

If you turn the ignition fully on and then back to FULLY off PROVIDING you dont pull the key out the sterring WILL remain free. On many vehicles these days quite a bit is powered up with the ign switch in the "Aux" position

I am struggling to think of any possible reason for the towed vehicles battery going flat !!! 

As just about every towbar fitted to MH's these days has Sargent electrics it MIGHT be worth dropping them an email in case they have come across the problem before?? (and have come up with a cure)


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