Is it legal to drive a car that won't start?

Joysky on 03/11/2015 - 17:08

So my car has been unable to turn itself on these past 3 weeks.

I have gotten around this by always parking on a hill (both at home and at work), and doing a rolling jump start to get me going. Of course, this is not ideal, as I cannot travel to a destination that does not have a hill :| Stalling, especially in rush hour, is no longer an enjoyable pastime, however I do always keep a set of jumper leads in my car.

My question is, is my car still classified as roadworthy, and can I be ticketed for intentionally driving knowing it can't start under its own power? I drive approximately 45 + 45 minutes a day.

Regarding the mechanical aspect of the problem, I suspect its a dead battery, because the car still won't start when a weeks worth of driving should have charged it up. Supporting the battery however, is that it is only 2 years old (I don't use aircon or anything), and everything was fine as I kept the juice in it at home with a portable AC transformer once a week until I dropped it :/

p.s. I have never stalled in the past year, so it is unlikely to affect peak hour traffic

Automotive

Comments

  • nocure on 03/11/2015 - 17:11
    +24

    So my car has been unable to turn itself on

    Never had that problem.

    A vehicle without a working charging system is unroadworthy .Buy a battery FFS.

    • bdl on 03/11/2015 - 17:41
      +3

      Buy a battery FFS.

      +1

      This.

  • 28kb on 03/11/2015 - 17:33
    +4

    its this a troll post?

    • gottacatchemall on 03/11/2015 - 17:42

      Too cheap to get a battery. Ozbargain problems…

    • Joysky on 03/11/2015 - 20:35
      +1

      No! I really want to find out the answer!

  • jsediv on 03/11/2015 - 17:41

    Sounds like you need a new alternator. But yes, stop driving it until it is fixed.

    Ignore the rude comments. You're here for an answer, not to be attacked.

      • Joysky on 03/11/2015 - 20:33

        Thanks for the tip, however most people I have talked to seem to think its the battery. I thought about it being the alternator but once the car gets going, all the electronics are perfect.

  • inherentchoice on 03/11/2015 - 17:45

    If it may constitute a safety risk then you could be issued with a defect notice…

    http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/fragview/inforce/subordleg…

    Even if you want to flaunt the law just get it fixed to save yourself the hassle and inconvenience.

  • enzioFirenze on 03/11/2015 - 17:47

    it can either be a faulty battery or a faulty alternator/charging system. Better to get it checked and do what's necessary without running the car.

  • snappy1234 on 03/11/2015 - 17:59

    First name FRED ****STONE

  • boonanza on 03/11/2015 - 18:04
    +6

    I love reading posts like this it makes me feel a whole lot smarter:)

  • oscargamer on 03/11/2015 - 18:18
    -2

    it is legal
    not sensible
    but legal

    • wayacos on 04/11/2015 - 08:03

      Not legal car is unroadworthy.

  • gummibear on 03/11/2015 - 18:39
    +1

    Regardless of the legality it is inconsiderate to potentially inconvenience other driver if you stall the car on the road, especially as it's avoidable.

    • oscargamer on 03/11/2015 - 19:01
      -1

      i was only answering the OP's question in the title

      • gummibear on 03/11/2015 - 22:01

        I was just replying to the OP. unfortunately it was right after yours so it looks like I was commenting on yours.

  • Nutrino on 03/11/2015 - 19:18
    +1

    Facepalm. Get it fixed.

  • altomic on 03/11/2015 - 20:04
    +1

    you're on ozbargain, therefore you have eneloops…………. do we have to spell it out?!?!?

    seriously, buy a proper car battery

    • Joysky on 03/11/2015 - 20:37

      My current battery is only 18 months old, not the 2 years I originally said. I might go for the warranty!

      • altomic on 03/11/2015 - 20:38

        if it is not the battery then there could be something wrong with your alternator. or something else electrical.

        what subywagon said. -supercheapauto

  • subywagon on 03/11/2015 - 20:38
    +4

    Go to Supercheap and get a free battery test done. They can tell if it's the alternator, starter motor or battery. If it's the battery just buy a new one then and there. They are reasonable enough priced at Supercheap. Did this myself a couple of months back after driving with a shitty starter motor.

    • Joysky on 03/11/2015 - 20:55

      Hmm, I will do that, I just hope they dont overcharge or just say its the battery even if it isnt, just so they can get a sale. I've heard of instances where they diagnose a battery as 'bad', and recommend a change, yet the owner kept it going for another 2 years.

      I am quite sure it is the battery, so I guess its fine.

      I do have roadside assist though, would they be better and give a less biased and more independent assessment then Supercheap? (Might as well make use of it, havn't called them out for a few years)

      • subywagon on 03/11/2015 - 23:55

        I was worried about this too myself and that's why I avoid car battery shops, but the kids at Supercheap have no incentive to deceive you. They also show you and give you a copy of the readout. On the battery it should have numbers such as the CCA etc that you can refer to.

        I actually went with two cars on different occasions within the same week. One was just a dying battery (which I suspected) and I bought a new battery. The other was the starter motor which they told me the battery was fine for.

        Good luck!

        • Joysky on 04/11/2015 - 16:27

          Thanks, will give it a go

  • Cheeper on 03/11/2015 - 20:54

    Joysky… most mechanics will do a quick test on your charging system for $000000.0000
    It is a simple and quick thing to do.
    If you know someone who owns a $10 multimeter then you can do it yourself.
    You may have got away with putting it off for now but you are taking a risk of it going wrong at the worst possible time and having it cost you a heap more. Get it seen to.

    • Joysky on 03/11/2015 - 20:56
      +1

      Thanks, I will definitely get it fixed ASAP

      • Cheeper on 03/11/2015 - 20:58

        Honest mate… not worth taking risks with. Hope the fix is not expensive? :-)

  • Snoovey on 03/11/2015 - 23:12

    I thought my battery was dead recently but a bit if research on forums helped me check for poor connections. One of the wires to the starter was loose. Easy and cheap fix. Good luck.

  • woodwa on 04/11/2015 - 07:39

    if its the alternator you can get another 6-12 months life out of one by giving them a few taps with a hammer.. Not hard enoughtto break the steel but hard enough to shake the crap off the contacts and brushes..

    Sounds like a battery to me though..

  • affable on 04/11/2015 - 07:56

    I had a car with a dead (old) battery which was fine for a few months. I just roll started it, until one day it wouldn't roll start. Turns out a battery can be "past dead" and stop the car from even roll starting, they told me this when I got the battery replaced. You've been warned!

  • wayacos on 04/11/2015 - 08:02

    Not Legal.Car needs to be in a roadworthy condition.You could be defected not just a ticket.
    Get it looked at asap.

  • spurf on 04/11/2015 - 08:54

    Buy a cheap multimeter from Jaycar and measure the battery voltage with the engine off then with engine on. You'll quickly work out where your problem is.

    • Live Dimension on 04/11/2015 - 09:11

      Doing an open test of a battery doesn't tell you anything about the condition of any battery. You can still get a 12v reading on a dead battery, and having the car running the alternator will give you a false reading.

      • spurf on 04/11/2015 - 09:36

        My test is looking at the differential voltage between the battery and the battery and alternator in parralel to work out where the fault lies. If the voltage doesn't increase appreciably with the engine running then the fault lies with the alternator or connection between it and the battery. Given the info given by the OP it is unlikely to be an alternator fault as the car would have stopped running ages ago. My money is on a dead battery or a bad connection between the battery and lead coming off alternator. Can differentiate the last two by checking the voltage difference between the battery and the alternator lead with engine running which should be approx 0 if the connection is fine.

        • Live Dimension on 04/11/2015 - 09:41

          Oh, you mean testing battery voltage with the battery still connected but the car off, and battery voltage with the car on?

          Sorry, you're correct. I misread it to see as taking the connectors off the battery and testing the open circuit voltage, which tells you nothing about the battery's true condition.

          And we both agree - it's not the alternator.

  • Live Dimension on 04/11/2015 - 09:09

    Get it looked at. It's likely to either be a dead battery, issue with the starter or loose connection.

    Once you get the car running, pull over, leave the car running and try starting the engine for half a second or so. If you hear the starter going (you should) then the starter is likely to be fine. If you hear nothing, still get the battery verified but have the mechanic look at the starter.

    It's most likely a dead battery from the sounds of it. It's not the alternator since it can power the car once going and the electrical source for engine ignition has to come from either the battery or the alternator.

    Battery world and most other battery places will do a battery test for free. If it's dead, replace it. Ask them to look at the battery connecting leads as well. Though they should be fine, occasionally they can need fixing, especially if you have a mouse problem for example.

    In the highly unlikely chance that you're still having charging problems, it could be the alternator or the path from the alternator to the battery, though I highly doubt it given you can drive as far as you can.

    I know it's tempting to ignore this issue, but it's really not worth all the fluffing about for a relatively cheap fix.

    edit:

    is my car still classified as roadworthy

    No

    can I be ticketed for intentionally driving knowing it can't start under its own power?

    Yes, and fined. You'll also have to get it towed to the mechanics since they won't let you drive it there.

    So, you'll have to pay a fine + towing fees + repair fees, instead of just repair fees for fixing the original problem. It'll also go on your record that you're driving a non-roadworthy car.

    I'm really unsure about this bit, but you might also have to prove to the police that your car is fixed before you're allowed to drive it again.

    Supporting the battery however, is that it is only 2 years old
    Sometimes batteries die early, especially in colder regions. It's just one of those things. It might might be under warranty, as some places do 3 years. Most don't.

    In short, just get it fixed before some officer asks why you're rolling your car down a hill unpowered!

  • Peck on 04/11/2015 - 12:57

    Go to an auto electrician. They seem to be pretty good guys, and not just after your money. They will tell you the problem in seconds!

  • WT on 04/11/2015 - 13:00

    you can buy a multimeter for $5 at jaycar and search google on how to test the battery and alternator. Takes less then 5 mins

    or you can just take it to battery world and get your battery tested for free

  • WD TV andSOUND on 04/11/2015 - 21:52

    Simple…..
    If you can push start the car and every thing works while the engine is running, such as, lights, air conditioner etc, the alternator is in good condition and trying to charge a dud battery that is not taking a charge (that's "DEAD") that has usually dropped a cell causing the battery to no longer hold a charge at about 11 - 9 volts when disconnected and up to 13.8 volt and when connected with the engine running trying to charge it.
    A multi meter will show 11 - 9 volts when disconnected if it is still holding a charge after dropping a cell and while the engine is running the battery will show up to 13.8volt, some times more when charging!!
    The average new battery is about $70 and up!!!! CHEEP. Without a battery across the terminals with the engine running (NOT WISE, DON'T let the positive terminal touch the body work of the car, big spark, melt down!!!!) with out the resistance of the battery, you could get 15 volt from the alternator.
    If the battery is on the way out and has just enough charge to start the engine, the fastest way to recharge a battery while driving is to run most every thing (not big driving light which might drain the battery faster then the alternator can charge) to drag more charge through the battery.
    Also if the battery terminals are caked with dry green acid, that will stop a charge in to the battery. The metal on the posts needs to be clean fresh metal to metal contact and done up tight, then coat it over with Vaseline or a spray that auto electricians use to stop corrosion of the posts and terminals caused by the battery acid.
    ****FIRST USE Bi-carb soda**** (found cheap in a supermarket)a generous amount in to hot water pored over the terminals that fizzes up and neutralises the acid is very affective cleaner, then you scrape off the hard to remove deposits with a pocket knife. Use gloves!!!

  • kronicmacstigator on 18/11/2015 - 22:48

    I would GLADLY defect you for a bad battery! DEFINATELY get it fixed!

    • Joysky on 19/11/2015 - 00:26
      +1

      Catch me if you can!

      They see me rolling, they hating!

  • doctordv8 on 20/11/2015 - 00:31
    +1

    NO, it is not legal. Go do yourself and other road users(for the just incase possible accident), get it repaired asap.

  • Serapis on 23/11/2015 - 09:33

    Towing / roadside assist will cost a lot more than a new battery, get a decent one for $100 - $200 and save the hassle.

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