Team-BHP - Indica V2 Diesel shutdown in middle of the road

My Indica V2 is around 3 years old. I had to do a 20 KM run around 2 weeks back in the afternoon. Almost at the end of my journey, the engine died off. I could not get it to start even with a "dhakka start". Nothing seemed to happen. Luckily there was a battery showroom nearby and the person helped me out. He said that if one of the cell in the battery stops working (short ho gaya), then the circuit is broken and hence the engine died off too.
Surpirsingly, with his other battery in place, the car started applying the first starter.
Question: Is this logically correct? Can this happen? I was asked to change the battery ASAP since this could happen during every long run when the battery starts heating up due to charging.

That sure is scary. What the battery guy told you could be right.

Just to get a better understanding of things, I guess the battery in your car was the original OEM battery (which came with the car). Tata uses good sources such as Exide?

Secondly, a start engine should not die as the alternator would be providing sufficient current even under idling, unless there is a problem with the alternator.

Better get your electrical system checked up when you replace your battery.

a problem i faced was that the car would refuse to start. the fault was traced out to a loose electrical wire to the heater element. i had the battery replaced et al, but to no effect. I suggest you get your electricals checked, as I dont think 1 cell "shorting" would cause the battery to die. It would have started with a push start as well if the battery had drained out.

Similar thing happened with me in Scorpio, though the engine did not die while driving. One evening I visited my relatives and the beast started at half crank at home and reached the destination with all HLs blazing and the strobes on.

In the middle I had to go to pik up some stuff and that's when the ordeal started. It wouldn't start at all. As soon as the key was turned to start, the lights would dim. Scorp started with a push and then we went home. The next day morn when I wanted to take it to garage again it didn't start; even with a jumper cable..!!! Again push started and drove to garage. A cell of the battery had gone kaput.

Replaced with a new battery and all ok.

The ineteresing thing that the battery guy said that this is a typical problem of all batteries that come in plastic casing. If one cell goes weak or fails the battery simply dies down unlike in the traditional batteries where a weak battery would still labour to crank the engine.

Any comments..???

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaustubh_vaze (Post 405142)

Yes agreed. But there sure is no problem with the electrical system as the car starts normally AND every electrical part works.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gd1418 (Post 405777)

The ineteresing thing that the battery guy said that this is a typical problem of all batteries that come in plastic casing. If one cell goes weak or fails the battery simply dies down unlike in the traditional batteries where a weak battery would still labour to crank the engine.
Any comments..???

I guess I heard a similar comment from the battery guy. My problem was that my car wouldn't start even with a "dhakka". Now thats interesting. Does a dead battery cell lead to the circuit not being complete and hence the engine not cranking? I guess this could be because the alternator charges the battery and since the circuit is not complete (the cell being short), the engine does not receive the current.
Need expert comments on this please. What are possibilities of this happening on a new battery?

Quote:

Originally Posted by doctorkats (Post 405637)

you were still running on your original battery for 3 years? thats impressive enough.
get another.sealed.maintenance free.with warranty.

hmm you mean that stock batteries die fast ? Our alto battery lasted like 4 years +...

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaustubh_vaze (Post 406347)

Hmmmm!!!
Well well....I dont know whether a diesel indica has a ECU. Well does anybody know about it? If yes then does it answer the question?

Diesel Indica does have ECU. However, i dont know from when it started to have it - may be somewhere around 2004 or so i guess.

No. My both trucks don't have an ECU..

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsk1979 (Post 406177)

Does your car have an ECU. In that case its possible. In non ECU cars(like mine) you can disconnect the battery and the car will keep running, no circuit completion thing needed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsk1979 (Post 406987)

thats why you could start with push. Any vehicle with electronically controlled ignition will need battery to start.

Yup and will die if the battery is dead..I found this shocking..but true.. I have had an old vehicle which was converted to electronic ignition so that we could shut the engine with the key just like modern cars..the surprising effect is that if battery is weak and we start the car with another battery..we can't disconnect that and fix back this battery!!!
:Shockked:The engine dies as soon as i remove one terminal..Thats when i realised that engines with electronic ignition have this problem. The only solution would be to change the battery and drive!!:deadhorse