The worst nightmare that can happen to any motorist is the vehicle battery breaking down midway. The situation can get noticeably worse if the engine does not start when you try to start it from an external power source (from the cigarette lighter). If the reason is really a dead battery, then it may be impossible to do without the help of specialized services. Ultimately, a battery failure can cost you hundreds of dollars and time. Below we will present five main signs by which you can understand that it is time to replace the battery in order to prevent the occurrence of the above situation in the future.
Engine starts slowly
When you try to start the engine and it cranks slowly, you can assume that the situation is most likely due to a problem in the transmission of the electrical signal through the circuit. Although a possible cause could be a poor connection to the starter or its electrical circuit, which led to the battery not being fully charged. There is a possibility that the battery may have been discharged due to the vehicle being parked for a long time. One way or another, in such a situation, you should immediately contact a service center to conduct a technical inspection of the vehicle.
How to start a car if the battery is dead?
In addition to sub-zero temperatures, which contribute to battery discharge, the battery capacity is also affected by driving with the heater on, heated seats, as well as heated mirrors and steering wheel.
In addition, often the driver may simply forget to turn off the side lights or any other devices while parking. However, do not panic. Below are four methods to help your car start and drive.
Method 1. Start the car from a tow or pusher
To start a car from a pusher, you will need a towing cable. The optimal length is 4-6 meters. To tow, two cars need to be connected with a cable and accelerated to 15 km. On a car being towed, third gear is engaged and the clutch is gradually released. If the method worked, then the machines can be disconnected. This method is perfect for a car that has a manual transmission.
If there is no suitable vehicle nearby for towing, ask someone to help you move the car. This must be done on a flat road or downhill. The people who come to your aid should stand behind the car, grab the trunk and push the vehicle forward until the engine starts and the car continues moving.
Method 2. Start the car by lighting a cigarette from the donor battery
What to do if the battery runs out? A proven method is to light the car. For this you will need:
- donor car;
- key to 10;
- ignition wire.
The main condition for this method is that the donor battery must work properly. To light a cigarette, the cars need to be parked nearby, but so that they do not touch each other. The engine of the donor car must be turned off, and the negative terminal of the one that needs to be recharged must be removed. To prevent car electronics from malfunctioning, polarity must be observed. The negative wire is usually colored black, and the positive wire is usually red. Connect the terminals marked with a plus to each other.
Next, you should connect one negative to the donor car, and the second to the car whose battery requires recharging. Start the donor car and wait 5 minutes for the second car's battery to recharge. After this, you can also start it by letting it run for about 7 minutes. As a result, the terminals can be disconnected, and the machine should be allowed to run for 15-20 minutes. This way, you can charge the car faster when the engine is on.
Method 3. Start the car using a rope
To use this method, you should stock up on a strong rope and a jack. First of all, you should raise the drive axle of the machine using a jack. Next, wrap the rope around the car wheel. To spin the wheel, pull the rope with a sharp movement, as if you were pulling the cord from a lawn mower to start it.
This method is an imitation of starting a car from a pusher. When the drive wheel spins, the car's drive begins to rotate, which triggers subsequent processes leading to the engine starting. Unfortunately, this method will not work for a car with an automatic transmission. However, starting a car with a manual transmission will be successful.
Method 4. Start the car using a jump charger
The easiest way to use is to start the battery using a special device. The starter-charger is connected to the network, and the mode switch should be in the “start” mode. The ROM wire with a positive value must be connected to the positive terminal, and the negative wire - to the motor block, next to which the starter is located. The ignition is then activated using the key. If the method worked and the car was able to start, disable the ROM. You can also use a booster to charge the battery.
What to do if the battery on the machine runs out
Most of the methods listed are used on cars with a manual transmission. In the case of an automatic transmission, the good old pushrod method will not work. The point here is the difference between the design of a manual transmission and an automatic one.
Some “advisers” claim that there will be no problems with starting an automatic transmission from a pusher if you accelerate the car to 70 km/h and move the selector to position “D”. In fact, these tips are not supported by facts.
Unlike a manual transmission, an automatic transmission does not have a hard contact with the engine (for example, in torque converter versions, torque is transmitted to the planetary gearbox using a special pump, which is not activated while the engine is turned off). Due to such features of the device, the “classic” method of starting the engine will not help. Moreover, this procedure will ruin the mechanism itself (even ordinary towing for automatic machines is not advisable).
To start a car with an automatic transmission, you will only have to use recharging. In this case, the battery is removed from the car and connected to the charger. If the ignition and fuel supply system is working properly, the car will start.
If you don’t have time to wait for the battery to recharge or there is no charger, you can “light” it from your neighbor’s car or use other available methods of “revitalizing” the battery.
What to do if your battery runs out in winter
In winter, due to increased load, the battery discharges faster, and this does not depend on how long ago it was purchased. Some motorists, after the car has been idle for a long time, before starting the engine for 3-5 seconds. turn on the high beams to “wake up” the battery, and then start the engine.
In the case of a manual transmission, there are many options for forcing the engine to start when the battery is low. The simplest one is to start the engine from the pusher. In this case, you should make sure that the problem is related to a low battery charge. In this case, the starter will turn slowly or will not respond at all to turning the key in the ignition. In a separate article, using the VAZ 2107 as an example, other reasons for problematic engine starting that are not related to low battery charge are shown.
If the car has an automatic transmission, then in this case only an alternative power source will help. How to prevent battery hypothermia in winter, as well as proper winter storage of car batteries, is described here.
The appearance of a signal about a malfunction of engine systems
There are about a dozen reasons why a car's engine system malfunction indicator may be triggered. One fairly common situation, especially in older vehicle models, is insufficient power supply. When low power supply jeopardizes continued engine operation, the check engine warning light will come on. It should be noted once again that such a situation requires contacting a service center to check the operation of the engine by a qualified specialist in order to avoid breakdowns and obtain a guarantee of proper engine operation.
Leaking or low fuel level
Leaking fuel from the tank can corrode parts and interfere with the electrical signal from the battery. In other words, this situation will cause the vehicle to not start one day. If liquid flows into the battery and damages the lead plates responsible for conducting the electrical signal, the battery will also not work. If a sharp drop in the fuel level in the tank is detected, you should always check for the possibility of a leak.
Key indicators of a discharged car battery
There are several indicators that indicate a malfunction of the electrical power supply in your car. Such indicators appear long before the real result of a discharged battery is visible. Learn to pay attention to these moments so as not to constantly find yourself in unpleasant situations. This will help you charge the battery on time and comply with all operating conditions of the car without any problems. So, the indicators could be the following:
- inadequate operation of the alarm, too long a reaction after pressing the button on the remote control key fob, poor door opening, jamming of the central locks;
- turning off the radio shortly after stopping the engine, this indicates a strong drop in voltage in the network due to the load on the battery;
- reduction in the quality of the headlights and the brightness of all lighting in the car - the lion's share of the generator's energy is sent to charge the depleted battery, there are problems with optics;
- when starting the engine, the first jerk of the starter is heard, then there is a second pause, then the starter spins again in normal mode, but the engine takes a long time to start;
- When warming up, the speed may fluctuate; these problems are caused by the fact that in this mode the engine may require a little energy from the battery, which is empty.
These are the unpleasant situations that indicate that your car has problems with the battery. Also, modern cars experience problems with the on-board computer, which begins to show problems in every possible way. There may be a firmware failure or problems with displaying the necessary data. The windshield and interior airflow does not work well due to lack of energy. All this indicates that the generator is actively trying to charge the battery, and it does not have time for your whims in the form of the climate in the cabin.
When the battery reaches its maximum service life
Contrary to popular belief, the average car battery will not outlast the life of the vehicle in which it is used. In most cases, modern batteries last about three years. If the battery is used longer than this period, it must be checked annually. It should also be mentioned that the service life of the battery will be significantly reduced if it is used incorrectly. As practice shows, if the battery has not been fully charged several times (during short trips lasting less than 20 minutes), the duration of its use is reduced. And, as mentioned above, the effects of extremely high and low temperatures also lead to rapid battery replacement. Drivers should always check that the headlights and radio are turned off when finishing a trip. Otherwise, constant recharging may adversely affect the battery life.
If you notice any of the above-mentioned signs, you need to have your car battery checked as soon as possible.
