In winter, you don’t only have to prepare your tires but you also have to take a closer look at your battery because cars failing to start happens most at this time of year.
Have you ever tried to jump-start another car before? Did you find the procedure easy or confusing? For some people jumpstarting a car is an easy task. However, some still struggle with it. Not only that, there can be dangers involved in the process so some just don’t do it and leave it in the hands of experts.
If you’ve decided to take the risk and try to jumpstart a vehicle, there can be a fulfilling experience if you successfully do it. However, if it doesn’t work, it can be frustrating. When your jumpstart fails, don’t get frustrated because it’s taking you closer to the root cause of the problem.
When a car doesn’t start, the drained battery is mostly blamed and the default solution is to jumpstart the vehicle. However, that isn’t always the case. There are some other things that could cause your jumpstart to fail and they are listed below:
Battery Is Completely Dead
Those cars that can successfully be jump-started are those that have a drained battery. However, if the battery is completely dead instead of just being drained, a jumpstart is not the solution.
Jumpstart won’t work because your battery won’t be able to charge or hold a charge when it is completely dead. If it is severely damaged or broken, no amount of jump-starting will save the day. Even if there are no obvious signs of damage, the battery may have just lived its lifespan.
Depending on use and how your car for your vehicle, a car battery would last for about 3-5 years. If your car battery is around this old, this could be the culprit of your problem. You simply have to change the car batteries.
Faulty Alternator
The battery is only one part of your car’s electrical system. It works with other parts such as the alternator to effectively charge the battery. The alternator is responsible for making sure that the battery runs after you jump-start it. If the alternator is faulty, your battery cannot get charged so you’ll end up having to jump-start your car over and over again every time it drains. That is not healthy for your car battery.
It can be challenging to identify if the alternator is really the problem because the signs are similar to that of a bad battery. However, you can take a look at your lights to differentiate the two.
If the lights are dim when you start and brightens once the alternator provides enough power, then the problem is with your battery. On the other hand, if the lights flicker and are dim continuously, you could be having a problem with the alternator.
Battery Terminal Issues
Sometimes, the battery itself is not the issue but the connection to it. When the jump start doesn’t work, it would be worth your time to check the battery terminals first. The jump start cables will be connected to them. If they do not transmit the charge, then you cannot charge your car battery and your jump-start will fail.
There are several issues to check. First, see if the battery terminals are corroded. If it is badly corroded, then it cannot successfully transmit a charge. This is also true if the battery terminals are loose. For corroded, battery terminals, you can clean them off with a wire brush to remove the corroded parts.
Bad Starter
Having a bad starter will also prevent you from starting your car even after the jump start. When the starter is not working, the engine won’t start and you’ll just hear clicking sounds. Even if you jump-start the vehicle, it won’t do any good because it is the starter that’s the problem.
Jumper Cable Problems
When jumpstarting a car, make sure you use high-quality jumper cables. Although there are some in the market that you can get for cheap, they aren’t reliable. They may be too thin for the job. Additionally, jumper cables do not usually last for a lifetime so you also might need to change them.
Are you having trouble starting your vehicle? Your batteries may be drained. Whenever you need a jumpstart service in the St Louis area, Reliable Guys Towing is the best to call…
