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[Jetstream]

My neighbour has a ForFour Cdi auto which I'm worried he might have just killed. I've previously owned two but never jump started one...

Apparently he was having trouble getting it into gear ( I thought actuator) but he then had a flat battery, attempted to jump start and now its totally dead - no lights or any electrical signs so I cant plug in a code reader.

So I'm thinking he has either blown a relay or fried a control unit. He said he had a new battery on 18 months ago, so he's going to check that first.

Any ideas ? He doesn't exactly look after his cars and is very much a 'why bother servicing - repair it if it breaks' person.

[CrazyG]

As far as I am aware, the only time you can 'fry' a fuse box is if you
replace the front interior light with an LED type with the door open
(making a circuit). I  have knowledge of 2x 454's that have done this,
one a Brabus and the other a CDi.

There is a possibility that one of the fuses on the battery post plate
has blown, but really I think that no one should consider adding any
post/s with comments or suggestions until the owner has replaced
the dead battery, and then seen if there are still problems or issues.
OK ?

[Jetstream]

Will do when he actually gets round to it. He is using his other half's car. The last car he killed has sat on his drive for 2 years. I know this because I sold it to him with fsh and he didnt change the oil in the 30,000m he drove it. The reason he bought it was he didn't believe in having a cam belt change on the car before. Aargh basically.

[mr singh]

in my opinion... leave it to him to sort out. dont offer any help even if he asks, or give him very little information.

if he went 30,000 miles without changing the oil and only bought a car from you because he didnt want to pay for a cam belt on his previous car clearly shows he either has more money than sense (as in he will pay £1000+ for a new car over a £400 cam belt) or as you have said not bothered about his cars. who looks after the other car that he is using? is that maintained correctly?

[Jetstream]

I've sort of given up with him before - as I'm the opposite end of the spectrum to him on maintenance. The other car is too new to them (a 61 plate) to have needed a service yet but for an intellectually bright person he is dumb as x with cars. He know best.

[mr singh]

well, cant argue with someone who 'thinks they know best' about cars. leave it to him to sort his mess out!

no doubt that his CDi will end up in a scrap yard.

[Jetstream]

... or parked up in our cul de sac for ever ! You're right I'm not going out of my way to help this time.