Car Won't Start? 2 Ways To Tell If The Battery Is Bad

When you put your key in the ignition of your car and get nothing when you turn the key, you will have a serious problem on your hands that may require the help of an auto mechanic. There are many reasons a car may not start, but a common reason is due to issues with the battery. If this is the cause, you might be able to fix the problem yourself. Here are several steps you should take to determine if the battery is what is preventing the car from starting.

Check The Lights

The battery in your vehicle is its electrical center in a sense. The battery stores energy, and this energy is used to make your car start and to run the lights and radio in your car. If you want to see if your battery is dead, go inside your car and try turning on the lights. If you get lights, your battery is not completely dead; however, your battery might be just strong enough to power your lights but not strong enough to start your car.

If your lights and radio do not work at all, you most likely have a dead battery, or you might have a problem with the cables that connect your battery to the engine. The cables that connect to your battery can corrode and wear out over time. If this happens, the communication will be interrupted, and this can often appear as a dead battery.

To check this problem, simply look at the cables. If you see corrosion, this could be the reason your car will not start. To fix the problem, you would have to either clean the cables off or replace them, and this is a job you should let a mechanic do if you are not experienced making car repairs yourself.

Jump The Car

If you have determined that your battery is dead, you could run another test to determine if this is the problem. This test requires jumpstarting the car, and you will need a hand-held jumpstart box or another vehicle to do this. You will have to connect the jumper cables to the terminals on the battery. After doing this, you should wait a few minutes before trying to start your car.

If your car will now start after jumping it, you can be certain that your battery is dead. To fix this problem, you will need to replace the battery.

For more information, contact Import Automotive or a similar location.

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