What happens when the Magotan's battery is dead?
3 Answers
When the Magotan's battery is dead, the following situations may occur: 1. Difficulty starting the engine, requiring multiple attempts to start it; 2. Weakened nighttime lighting and reduced horn volume; 3. The battery warning light on the dashboard illuminates. The working principle of a car battery is to convert chemical energy into electrical energy, and it is categorized into conventional batteries, dry-charged batteries, and maintenance-free batteries. The Volkswagen Magotan is a mid-size sedan under FAW-Volkswagen, with dimensions of 4865 mm in length, 1832 mm in width, and 1471 mm in height, and a wheelbase of 2871 mm. In terms of suspension, the front suspension of this car is a MacPherson independent suspension, and the rear suspension is a multi-link independent suspension.
I often encountered battery issues when driving my Magotan. When starting the car, there was no response at all—turning the key only produced a clicking sound, and the engine wouldn't budge. The dashboard lights were extremely dim, like a flashlight running out of power, making the numbers hard to read. The power windows also moved super slowly, sometimes getting stuck halfway. The most annoying part was being stranded in parking lots or on the roadside, especially when rushing in the early morning, having to rely on someone else to jump-start the car. I noticed that after multiple battery drain incidents, the car would develop chain reactions, like headlights flickering, the AC fan running at low speed, or even the horn becoming too weak to hear. The main cause was an aging battery, so regular checks are crucial. I recommend testing the battery voltage every six months—a simple check with a portable meter will do, as cold weather makes it especially prone to failure. Don’t forget, the Magotan is a German car, and its battery is located on the right side of the engine bay, where the terminals are prone to corrosion—cleaning them yourself can prevent issues. Avoid plugging in too many charging devices in the car to prevent standby power drain. If you frequently take short trips, the battery may not charge sufficiently, so it’s best to take a monthly highway drive to let the alternator fully recharge it.
Last time my Magotan's battery died was truly embarrassing—the car wouldn't start, the engine just groaned twice and stopped; the dashboard showed abnormalities with a bunch of warning lights lit up, making me think the car was totaled. The stereo went completely silent, and the windows wouldn't budge, trapping me for a while. At night, it was worse—driving without headlights was dangerously risky, and I nearly scraped a roadblock. In that moment of crisis, I cleverly used a power bank to jump-start the car and escape. Only afterward did I realize I’d forgotten to turn off the interior reading light when parking, draining the battery overnight. Now I’ve learned my lesson: before starting the car, I check the dashboard brightness—if it’s dim, the battery is low; and I make sure all electronics are off when parking. A friend’s Magotan had the same issue—his dead battery caused the power steering to fail, making the steering wheel too stiff to turn. I think new drivers should stay alert to these situations—keep an emergency power source or jumper cables in the car, and stay calm when problems arise. Replace the battery regularly, typically every 2-3 years, and don’t wait until it fails at a critical moment. Cold weather affects it greatly—parking in a garage or using a car cover can protect the battery.
