Peugeot 306 electrical fault?

Peugeot 306 electrical fault?

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gruffgriff

Original Poster:

1,746 posts

250 months

Saturday 29th September 2007
quotequote all
Originally mis-posted a couple of weeks ago in General Gassing but that forum`s quick turn over didn`t help our plight:


"Today`s adventure so far....

7:55 a.m., Driveway: Our beloved `99 1.8 306 started instantly, just as it has done for the last 100k miles.

8:10 a.m., Nursery: It fired up again having dropped junior off.

8:45 a.m., Tesco: first turn of the key shows only dim dash lights, second turn, nothing at all. Check headlights for any glimmer of electrical power; nothing. 306 is dead, long live 306.

8:55 a.m., Tesco: With no intervention (except maybe the hand of God?!) Lights on/door open buzzer heralds miraculous, immaculate resurrection! Car starts instantly, all power self-restored!

Any idea how the story will end? Dodgy earth? Battery terminals are tight and there`s nothing obviously loose under bonnet. The battery is old, but hasn`t shown any signs of failing health.

Thanks in advance for any useful insight...we want to continue to enjoy it and contradict the sweeping generalisation that French cars are a liability!"


I have to confess the car has been good as gold since that episode and because I`m rubbish at prioritising - stuff only gets done when it becomes a proper crisis - I haven`t looked under the bonnet for loose connections but today it stalled on the clutch-down approach to some traffic lights and the rev counter and speedo needles went to max as it conked out, indicating something`s up with the electric regulation I guess. It re-started on the key straight away, but now I`m concerned it may be one of those difficult-to-diagnose faults that`d be better investigated before the fault gets worse and the car can`t be relied upon.

Having received great advice for a previous request for help, I welcome any suggestion of where to start....and yes, I have a GSF franchise very near!


Cheers

Gary