What To Do When Your Car Battery Dies
Discovering that your car battery has died is quite possibly one of the most frustrating things that could happen to a car owner, and there’s never a convenient time for it to happen. But we’re on hand to help you understand why the battery may have died and the steps you can take when it occurs.
What could cause your car battery to dies
There are many reasons why your car battery may have died, while it’s hard to pinpoint exactly one reason, it could help to prevent it from happening again.
- Leaving headlights or interior lights on when the engine isn’t running
- Having the radio on for prolonged periods of time when the engine isn’t running
- Using the air conditioning when the car isn’t running
- Not starting a car for a considerable amount of time
- Little battery maintenance
- Failure of voltage regulator or diode bridge in the alternator (which charges the car battery while the engine is running)
- Considerably low air temperature
What to do when your car battery dies
If the car battery hasn’t completely discharged, you could recharge it simply by using a car battery charger which easily plugs into the mains. However, if the battery has died completely, the next step would be to jump start it.
How to jump start your car
What you will need:
- A set of jump leads
- A donor car
- A power pack (if a second car is unavailable)
Method:
- Retrieve the jumper cables – it’s a good idea to have some in the boot of your car
- Park both cars safely – put both cars in park or neutral and turn off the ignition.
- Attach red clips to the battery – attach a red clip to the positive terminal of you battery, then attach the other red clip to the positive terminal on the other car’s battery.
- Attach black clips to the battery – attach a black clip to the negative terminal on the other car’s battery, then attach the last black clip to one of the metal struts that hold your bonnet open.
- Start your vehicle – if the engine doesn’t start, ensure the clips are attached properly and safely, then have the other car’s engine running for at least 5 minutes, then try again. If it still won’t start, your battery may need a total replacement.
- If your vehicle starts – don’t turn off your engine. Drive around for at least 15 minutes in order for your battery to recharge.
It’s important to note that if your engine doesn’t turn on again having been through a jump start, the battery isn’t successfully holding its charge and so may need replacing.
Items to keep in your car in case your car battery dies
- Jump leads
- A power pack
- A battery charger
To see what other items we suggest keeping in your car, you may find one of our other articles useful: 10 Essential Things You Should Keep in Your Car
Auto Exhausts and Tyres are committed to providing our customers with a first-class comprehensive service at reasonable rates. Our team of highly skilled and experienced mechanics will have no trouble in carrying out repairs, quality servicing and MOTs. Operating throughout Lincoln and the surrounding area, we’re always happy to help. If you’d like more information, help or advice, contact us today!
