With wintertime coming, automobiles often suffer, the most common case is to have troubles starting your Opel Zafira in the morning with very low temperatures. Generally this is associated with problems recharging the battery of your Opel Zafira . There are some causes that can show you why your battery does not recharge effectively anymore, and today we will try to help you to fix this problem that can prevent you from using your motor vehicle. To achieve this, first we will show you how recharging your car battery functions, then the different problems of recharging a Opel Zafira, and at last how to recharge an empty car battery.
How does recharging the battery of a Opel Zafira work?
Before we detail the different problems of recharging the battery on a Opel Zafira , we will show you to you how its recharging system works so that you can discover the problems you are struggling with. A motor vehicle battery functions like a phone battery, it will store energy to start your Opel Zafira , turn on your headlights, listen to music, lower your power windows… However all these actions will consume energy and it might deplete the energy reserve that your battery can store. To handle this problem, the engineers have designed a element called the alternator , this element will use the energy produced by the engine unit of your Opel Zafira to create energy thanks to a copper coil and a magnet. This energy will recharge the battery of your motor vehicle . However, keep in mind that this process can just work when your car is running, using electrical components of your motor vehicle when it is stopped will decrease 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 Opel Zafira’s battery
We will now describe the different battery charging problems on a Opel Zafira you may be victim of. If your battery is not recharging because there is necessarily a problem in your electrical set up, we will now see the different cases.
Battery charging problem on Opel Zafira: My battery is discharging regardless if I am recharging it with a particular charger
In this first case, it is quite possible that your alternator is dead , indeed, if you manage to recharge your battery with a charger and your Opel Zafira to start, the problem obviously comes from your alternator which should not be able to create any more current.
Battery charging problem on Opel Zafira: 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 been able to start your Opel Zafira but it switches off while you are driving and then does not start, the problem with recharging the battery of your Opel Zafira is that your battery no longer holds the charge .
Battery charging problem on Opel Zafira: My battery is discharged nevertheless it is new
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If you’ve just bought a battery and it discharges while you’re driving, the problem most probably comes from your alternator. It cannot result from your battery, which is new and therefore holds the charge. The second opportunity is that you have a ground somewhere in your electrical system.
How to fix the problem of battery charging on Opel Zafira?
We will now give you the solutions according to the problem you are struggling with. Here are the different problems and their solutions:
- Defective alternator: You can try with simple mechanics to verify it with a pressure gauge to see if it’s producing power. If it doesn’t, changing it is the best remedy, based on your motor you will pay a few hundred euros. This repair 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. Indeed, if you have already recharged it but it is still empty because it is good to be changed, count between 60 and 100 euros based on your engine.
- Ground in the electrical circuit: If you cannot start your Opel Zafira 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 verify by a motor vehicle electrician is in such a case required.
How to recharge an empty battery of a Opel Zafira
Finally, to recharge the empty battery of a Opel Zafira 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. Otherwise you can use cables that will just provide the energy needed to start.
To discover more tips on the Opel Zafira, take a look at the Opel Zafira category.
