Broken Corsa lite after wash

D

DrewChan

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Hi guys assistance please.

Had my car washed, (2005 corsa lite 1.4) left car wash, car going perfectly, arrived at a friends place, attempted to leave an hour later and car was dead, well not completely, lights still work, car just didnt crank and start, sounded as if battery was dead.

Anyway managed to push start, drive it back home (20 minute drive) thought if it was battery it would charge a bit, but no such luck. Parked. Still buggered.

Car is still under Warranty but if theres a possible quick fix it'd be preferable.

Please possible solutions in lamens terms cars are not my forte`
 
If I'm not mistaken, this is a very loose description of the problem. You didn't look under the hood to see if anything is wet, didn't check anywhere that ever got wet, etc.

IMHO take it to the dealer and have them fix it, if you try - and mess it up more, they will void the warranty.
 
Even if the battery was dead a 20-minute drive would give you enough surface charge to crank the car again

So unless the battery is completely faulty and won't take any charge at all, it sounds more like the starter is borked

If it's under guarantee then have them sort it out
 
Agree with other posters, have the dealership sort it out.

However you can try cleaning the battery terminals with some bicarb, just maybe it is that.

I thought this was a standard feature with Opels though? :D
 
90% certain battery is dead. Starter motors on that particular Opel almost never goes (more likely it's wiring than the actual starter motor but that would also almost certainly be because they purposely messed it up). Moisture shouldn't be a problem but maybe they "cleaned" the engine and somehow left the battery in water or something.

Closest I ever came to breaking one of those starters was in my sisters Corsa Lite, drove it one night with heavy rain and the road was floaded at one point and I didn't see the water, so drove into a pseudo dam that formed. Anyway water came streaming in the side of the doors and lights flashing on the display, engine spluttering, steam everywhere, soon as I was through tho, was usual operation. The next few months the starter didn't sound too well but soon it was back to it's usual self.

Battery warranty is only 1 year however, so if that is over with might as well go directly to a battery place to check it out.
 
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Did they open the bonnet? I always cringe when I see people ask to have their engine bays high pressure hosed.
 
Maybe they swopped out your battery for a dead one.
 
Old story, Opels hate high pressure washing. Played havoc with our one rally Opel.

just get everything dried out and you should be OK.
 
Fazda said:
Old story, Opels hate high pressure washing. Played havoc with our one rally Opel.
Click to expand...
Disagree. Your "Rally Opel" maybe but I've used high pressure cleaner on a number of Corsa Bs. I've never had any problems but I also put plastic over the battery first. All Corsa B sensors use standard Bosch connectors with moisture seals. ECU is housed inside the car. No chance moisture could get into the sensors unless someone messed around with them. Those seals are pretty basic, a piece of rubber that is a bit too large, when the plug is pushed in, it takes quite a bit of force but the rubber peals out from the connector. If moisture can somehow get past that it would need massive pressure (way more than a pressure cleaner IMHO).

I don't have much experience with the older Opels (and haven't ever heard of any moisture issues) but guess it is possible since they use distributor (and distributors are notorious for not liking moisture). Especially a "Rally" Opel which has modified engine/management.
 
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