With winter months coming, vehicles tend to suffer, the most general case is to have troubles starting your Citroen Xsara in the morning with very low temperatures. In general this is related to problems recharging the battery of your Citroen Xsara . There are several causes that can explain why your battery does not recharge effectively anymore, and in this article we will try to help you to resolve this issue that can prevent you from using your motor vehicle. To accomplish this, first we will explain how recharging your car battery works, then the different problems of recharging a Citroen Xsara, and at last how to recharge an empty car battery.
How does recharging the battery of a Citroen Xsara work?
Before we detail the different complications of recharging the battery on a Citroen Xsara , we will explain to you how its recharging system functions so that you can understand the complications you are facing. A motor vehicle battery works like a phone battery, it will store energy to start your Citroen Xsara , turn on your headlights, play music, lower your power windows… However all these actions will consume energy and it may possibly deplete the energy reserve that your battery can store. To get over this issue, the engineers have designed a element called the alternator , this element will use the energy created by the engine of your Citroen Xsara to create energy thanks to a copper coil and a magnet. This energy will recharge the battery of your motor vehicle . However, consider that this process can just work when your car is running, using electrical components of your motor vehicle when it is stopped will drain the energy reserve of your motor vehicle. It is considered that a battery of a xxx has a life span of 3 to 5 years.
Problems recharging a Citroen Xsara’s battery
We will now describe the different battery charging complications on a Citroen Xsara you might be victim of. If your battery is not recharging because there is necessarily a issue in your electrical installation, we will now see the different situations.
Battery charging problem on Citroen Xsara: My battery is discharging regardless if I am recharging it with a specific charger
In this first case, it is quite possible that your alternator is dead , obviously, if you manage to recharge your battery with a charger and your Citroen Xsara to start, the problem certainly originates from your alternator which should not be able to create any more current.
Battery charging issue on Citroen Xsara: My motor vehicle shuts off and does not start regardless if I have charged the battery
If you have recharged your battery and you have managed to start your Citroen Xsara but it switches off while you are driving and then does not start, the problem with recharging the battery of your Citroen Xsara is that your battery no longer holds the charge .
Battery charging issue on Citroen Xsara: My battery is discharged although it is new
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If you’ve just bought a battery and it discharges while you’re driving, the issue most probably originates from your alternator. It cannot result from your battery, which is new and consequently holds the charge. The second opportunity is that you have a ground somewhere in your electrical system.
How to resolve the issue of battery charging on Citroen Xsara?
We will now give you the solutions according to the issue you are facing. Here are the different complications and their solutions:
- Defective alternator: You can try with basic mechanics to check it with a pressure gauge to see if it’s producing power. If it doesn’t, replacing it is the best remedy, based on your motor you will pay a few hundred euros. This fix is feasible in case your alternator is accessible.
- Battery that no longer holds the charge: In this case, the purchase of a new battery is the just realistic remedy. Obviously, if you have already recharged it but it is still empty because it is good to be replaced, count between 60 and 100 euros based on your engine.
- Ground in the electrical circuit: If you cannot start your Citroen Xsara but your alternator and battery are in good condition, it is possible that you have a ground on your wiring harness and that you lose energy, a check by a motor vehicle electrician is in this case required.
How to recharge an empty battery of a Citroen Xsara
Finally, to recharge the empty battery of a Citroen Xsara there are just few solutions, using a battery charger is the most efficient remedy, you can find some for 50 to 100 euros at vendors like Oscaro. In any other case you can use cables that will just provide the energy needed to begin.
If you want more tutorials on the Citroen Xsara, go to our Citroen Xsara category.
