Hi All,

Just a bit of advice needed here. A friend bought my MG ZS 1.8 2002 a couple of months ago. A few minutes ago he phoned me up to say he had broken down on the M1.

He was driving along and all of a sudden, the ABS light came on along with the handbrake light. Seconds after that, the dials started going crazy (his words). He pulled over to the hard shoulder (car was still running) and switched the engine off. The hazard lights are working. When he turns the key there is nothing. All the dashboard lights light up but the mileage display does not show. If he turns the key to the starter position he just gets a quiet clicking noise from the starter.

Now my guess based on his comments is that the battery has gone and somehow managed to confuse the electrics which is why everything went haywire. Even so, the hazards are still working although he couldn't say whether they were dim or normal.

Does anyone have any other ideas?

Forgot to say, the alternator seems to have been charging the battery ok, but the battery has gone flat a couple of times when the car has been left unstarted for a few days.

I think you may be right about the battery I would make that my first check.

Broken earth wire from battery to engine?

If there was a broken earth wire, would the hazard lights still work and all the dashboard lights come on?

The only thing worrying me is that the mileage indicator does not turn on.

Surely its got to be either a bad earth, naff battery or a faulty alternator. Can't think of anything else that would make the gauges go mad as well as make the battery dead and put the ABS light on. Its not multiplex wiring on this car.

is it a sealed unit or is it one that can be topped up if it isnt sealed unscrew some of the plugs and look at the lead plates inside if they are covered in white stuff they have calcified are its ready for the bin, another way is to get it drop tested at somewere like halfords or a tyre fitting shop. the reason theres some power for small things but not the starter is because it needs cranking amps and if the battery is on its way out which i think it is then it just wont have enough in it to do the job hth.

It might be the battery, but its more likey to be the engine-body earth strap. Very common problem unfortunately.

As soon as I can get to see the car I will check the above mentioned. The battery on there is the original so nearly 7 years old. The breakdown service came out and had a very quick look and said they thought it was the alternator (could be).