Our services
Electrical System
Auto Electrical Fault Diagnosis and Repair
Fleet Services Autocare Limited diagnoses and repairs vehicle electrical faults at customer premises across Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey. Electrical faults are among the most frustrating problems a vehicle can develop - intermittent, hard to pin down, and often misdiagnosed. We bring the equipment and the methodical approach to find the actual cause, on site at your home, depot or workplace.
Electrical Faults We Diagnose and Repair
Modern vehicles run an enormous amount through their electrical systems, and faults can show up almost anywhere. Common ones we deal with include:
Battery drains - a battery that goes flat overnight or over a few days, usually caused by something failing to switch off
Charging faults - alternator and charging system problems, battery warning lights, batteries not holding charge
Starting faults - where the cause is electrical rather than mechanical
Wiring faults - chafed, corroded, broken or badly repaired wiring
Lighting faults - exterior and interior lighting, including recurring bulb failures with an underlying cause
Sensor and control faults - sensors and modules reporting faults or behaving erratically
Intermittent electrical gremlins - faults that come and go, which are often the hardest to trace and where methodical diagnosis matters most
Get In Touch
We're trusted by businesses and drivers across Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey to keep their vehicles serviced, maintained and on the road.
Phone: 0118 973 0157
Email: Online Contact Form
Why Electrical Faults Need Methodical Diagnosis
Electrical faults are where guesswork is most expensive. A symptom in one place often has its cause somewhere entirely different - a warning light, an intermittent failure or a battery drain can trace back to wiring, a sensor, a module or a component buried elsewhere in the system. Replacing the obvious part rarely fixes it, and on electrical work that can mean several wrong parts before the real fault is found.
We diagnose methodically - testing the circuit, tracing the fault to its source, and confirming the cause before anything is replaced. It's slower than swapping parts on a hunch, and far cheaper in the end.
Battery Drains and Charging Faults
Two of the most common electrical problems we're called to are battery drains and charging faults, and they're often confused.
A battery drain (or parasitic drain) is something continuing to draw power after the vehicle is switched off and locked - a module not shutting down, a stuck relay, a faulty component or an aftermarket accessory wired in badly. The symptom is a battery that's flat after the vehicle has stood, sometimes only overnight. We measure the drain and trace what's causing it.
A charging fault is the system failing to keep the battery charged while the vehicle runs - usually the alternator or its wiring. The symptoms are a battery warning light, dimming lights, or a battery that keeps going flat despite being sound. We test the charging system under load to confirm the cause before replacing anything.
If you're repeatedly jump-starting or replacing batteries, the battery itself often isn't the problem - one of these two faults usually is.
Frequently Asked Questions
My battery keeps going flat but it's a new battery. What's wrong?
Usually a parasitic drain — something continuing to draw power after the vehicle is switched off - or a charging fault, where the alternator isn't keeping the battery charged. If a sound battery keeps going flat, the battery itself is rarely the real problem. We measure the drain or test the charging system to find the actual cause.
Can you find an intermittent electrical fault?
Yes, though intermittent faults take a methodical approach to trace. Any detail you can give about when the fault appears - cold mornings, after the vehicle has stood, over bumps - helps us narrow it down. We test the circuit to find the source rather than replacing parts on guesswork.
Why do I keep having to jump-start my van?
Repeated jump-starts point to either a battery drain or a charging fault rather than the battery itself. It's worth diagnosing properly - continually flattening and jump-starting a battery shortens its life and leaves you with a vehicle you can't rely on to start.
Do electrical faults affect whole fleets, and can fitted equipment cause them?
They can, and yes. An electrical fault that won't stay fixed is a vehicle that keeps coming back off the road, and battery drains in particular are a common cause of vans that won't start at the start of a shift - especially where vehicles stand over weekends or carry aftermarket equipment such as trackers, racking lighting, tail lifts or two-way radios, which can introduce drains if poorly installed. We diagnose on site and can advise on recurring electrical issues across the fleet.
Can you carry out electrical repairs at my premises?
Yes. Auto electrical diagnosis and repair are carried out on site across Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey. Where a part needs ordering, we diagnose first and return to fit it.
