so there i was, just cruising along at 40mph odd, and all of a sudden the engine cuts off.

I tried jump starting her, still wouldn't go, tryed bumpstarting... still no life!

Its got petrol, never had this happen before. When i try to start it, the starter motor makes one click (and moves about a cm) each time i try. With the ignition on, the the stereo etc works slow, and cds skip, as if there is no power, wipers barely move. So i'm guessing the battery has had it?? but surely it wouldnt cut out in the middle of the road even with a dead battery??

is it the battery i need replaceing? I'm not that mechanicy (if thats a word!) but it seems odd that it cut out completely. I haven't had it going since....

help....
cheers
andy

is this a sierra or vitara?

The fuel systems on the EFI machines will require a power source to function. It may be the battery or the alternator (or perhaps both). Not sure about the UK, but around here, you can take them into a parts store and they'll test them for ya.

Electrical
     Put a freshly charged battery in it and I will bet it runs.
Then get the charging system testing, probly Alternator but could also be battery

Zag

Did it sound strange/diferent when you cranked it over? It sounds like a timing belt broke to me. How many miles has it been since you had your timing belt changed?

Damn did I read that one wrong I have no idea why but I thought I read it was cranking OK

Zig

"but surely it wouldnt cut out in the middle of the road even with a dead battery?? "

Can you say "short".

Yes batteries can short, I've tried to boost a car with a shorted battery and nothing. remove the battery leads and connect the cables directly to the battery leads (not the battery) and it went.

also if u have someone else with a truck you can get them to pull you and I bet it'll start then...

Check the battery leads, make sure both ends
are clean, shiney, and tight, then go from there

Wild

Mine did that, well I was driving, and the radio cut off, I was like...d|removethispart|@mn cd player just went, then it started having no power for a few seconds....dead.  Alt died, finally drained the battery, replaced the alt and all was well after charging the battery.

I'm with toolman
     The symptoms show electrical power loss across the board........just ran till the voltage dropped below the system operating level.

Zag

What they said  Check your connections are clean and tight then I'd look at the battery  and then the alternator as initial checks. Played this game before 

wow - great response guys! thanks

i charged the battery overnight, i just stuck it back in, it almost started the first time i turned the key! but didnt quite, lots more movement than before though!

in answer to a few above questions, its a vitara, (sidekick to you guys) but its the 8v version, dont know if that makes a difference?

also, i dont have a clue when the timing belt was last changed! ha ha i've only had the jeep a few months, and there is a lack of service history.

I'm still boggled by the reason it completely cut out whilst driving! If the alternator has gone, would it do that!?!? I presume it cant be the battery then.... as a car works once started without it....?

cheers
andy

If it died while running, test your alternator.  Unless you were paying close attention, It could've slowly been croaking on you.  If your alternator is not strong, it won't run the car when the batt. is drained, or it'll most certainly screw with the voltage.

If the Alternator is not charging the battery will drain till the voltage drops below the ECM volt requirement and then the vehicle quits......gotta have electrical power from etheir the Alternator or the battery, once both are below volt requirement it don't run

Zag

Since you charged the battery, have it tested somewhere to make sure it will still hold a load.

If you get the the truck cranked, pull the positive off the battery while it is running, if the truck dies your alt is more that likely bad. 

Basically it works like this, normally an engine runs off itself as far as power, alt creates that power, if it dies, the engine starts using battery power, once that is gone...truck doesn't run.

If you have your battery checked, it is good and it still won't turn over, its time to start checking connections, also make sure nothing has gotten onto something hot and burned through the covering and started grounding itself.

I was pissed when mine happened, I thought my CD player died...

Do not run the engine without a battery
connected, you mught blow out some
electronic parts, I blew out an ignition
module in a Toyota Corolla doing that
once, and they ain't cheep.

Wild