Which part of the car gets blamed most of the time when it fails to start? Although cars failing to start could be caused by a variety of reasons, most of us will automatically blame it on the battery. The most common conclusion is that the battery is dead.
When the car battery is dead or drained, a jump start procedure should do the trick to bring your car back to life. It will charge the battery enough so it can start the vehicle. Once you drive the car, the battery will further charge.
So how can you tell if your car battery is really the culprit and if a jump start service is an answer? The answer is, there are signs that will tell you that your car battery is dead or dying. Such signs will tell you that the car battery is the problem.
Car Doesn’t Start But Engine Cranks
Turn the key on your vehicle and take note if your engine cranks but doesn’t start. Most of the time, with this scenario the car battery is the problem. That is also the reason why most people blame the battery. Most often than not, it is really the battery that is the problem. It is rare when this scenario is caused by the starter or other car parts.
Some people will even try to measure the current running in the battery. It is common to find results that reflect a good battery but that result could still be a few volts lower than what your car requires to efficiently run.
With most cases of engine cranking but the car not starting, a jump start procedure is required. After jumpstarting the vehicle, you still need to make sure there is adequate charge in the battery. That is the reason why you should keep the car running for about 30 minutes.
Once the car battery has charged for 30 minutes, you can test your car if you are parked in a safe area. By switching the engine off then on again after at least a minute, you can check if your car now works.
No Lights, Doesn’t Start, And Doesn’t Crank
With this scenario, it is quite obvious that there is no electric current running through the car. This is also indicative of a dead or faulty battery. The other accessories in the car are also powered by a battery. When your car seems dead because all other accessories don’t work as well, then it is clearly a battery problem.
Furthermore, if your car battery is so drained that it doesn’t even light up the lights, then you should also check on your alternator to make sure you are not having multiple electrical problems.
Sometimes The Car Starts And Sometimes It Doesn’t
If your car was able to start, failed the next day, then started again on a succeeding day, the car battery can also be the source of the problem. However, it may not simply be due to a drained battery but due to the terminals. It can be calcified, corroded, loose, or broken. It could also be due to a parasitic drain or wires touching each other that shouldn’t.
To remedy this, you have to carefully check the battery cables. Look closely and see if they are securely attached to the battery. Try to wiggle them. If you can wiggle them, then they are not placed tight enough. Also, check to see if the cables are in the right terminals. Check the condition of the cables as well and make sure they are not worn out. If not, then they may need to be replaced.
A parasitic drain is likely the cause when your car starts in consecutive days as long as you are using it. Furthermore, letting it sit for a day would mean that it will fail to start. Discovering the parasitic drain could require a mechanic to take a closer look at your vehicle.
Multiple Jump-start Procedure
Ask yourself, when was the last time you jump-started the vehicle? How many times did you do that this week or this month? If you have already jumped started your car multiple times in a week, it would be best to get a replacement battery.
Jumpstarting often could further damage the battery. Replacing the car battery would be best rather than taking your chances at getting stuck again somewhere else because your car simply won’t start. Having to wait for roadside assistance or getting help from strangers multiple times due to jump-starting the vehicle is such a hassle.
Plus, it can worsen the car problem. Instead of simply changing your car battery, your alternator, starter and other parts of your electrical system can all be affected. That can lead to more costly repairs and replacements.
Stuck at the parking lot because your car suddenly won’t start? Let Timber Towing And Recovery come to your rescue by providing you with a safe and reliable jump start service anywhere around the Minneapolis and St Paul area…
