Common questions

Why does my car battery not start when I plug it in?

Why does my car battery not start when I plug it in?

Connect the red lead to the battery positive, and the black lead to the opposite end of the cable going to the starter and iirc you should not see anything larger than about 0.7 volts. Here’s a good video on testing a battery with a multimeter. It could also be a starter problem, which you can read about here.

Why does my Silverado Sierra not start up?

You could have a bad connection to the battery post itself or a bad or weak battery. Have you fully charged the battery on a charger overnight or several hours. Have someone crankcase it while you check the voltage with a meter.

Why does my car not start with jumper cables?

If they are damaged or corroded badly, they can prevent proper amperage draw for the starter. Since you said it starts with jumper cables, it is most likely a bad battery. As CharlieRB pointed out, just because the lights come on doesn’t mean the battery is ok.

What does it mean when your car wont start?

It could also be that the battery and alternator are ok, but that you could have what is called voltage drop. This means that the wire between the battery and starter is developing high resistance for some reason, and is not allowing sufficient amps to get to the starter. You could also have a starter problem.

Why does my Chevy Suburban battery drain while driving?

If your battery is draining while driving, it is almost without exception the Suburban’s alternator that is causing the problem. If it is you should see the battery or alternator light on, it indicates that the alternator is not creating the necessary voltage to charge the battery.

Why does my GM car say no start no crank?

How to diagnose a no start no click on GM vehicle. If you have a late model GM vehicle and turn the key only to hear nothing, you’ll most likely think you have a dead battery—and you may. But a no start, no crank, no click condition can be far more involved than that.

What should I do if my truck won’t start?

Q: My truck won’t start, battery is good, alternator is good, don’t know if its starter, was told might have to change neutral lock. How do i figure out what it is without being able to move it because it won’t start and it will cost more to tow it.

Why does my Buick Enclave battery drain while driving?

If the battery is draining while you’re driving, that is probably going to be the alternator or battery. There are other situations as well. We’ll cover those for you below.

What should I do if my car battery does not charge?

You can do one of two tests to confirm that your battery maintains the charge: the hydrometer or battery load tests. If your battery did not pass any of these tests, you might need to replace your vehicle’s battery. One of the fastest ways to confirm it’s not your battery causing the issue is using a jump start.

What to do if your alternator doesn’t charge?

alternator not charging properly (to check alternator start vehicle and disconnect the battery; engine should still run. If it shuts off alternator is bad.) Check all your connections on battery, starter solenoid, and starter. Clean all connections in the starter system, positive and ground.

What causes a car battery to not start?

Too much corrosion build up will hinder the delivery of power from your battery to the rest of your vehicle, which means it could prevent you from starting your car!

What happens when a battery cable goes bad?

Battery cables go bad all the time. Not only do the connections get crusted up with corrosion, but that corrosion can creep down inside the cables, rendering them all but useless. A voltage drop test can tell you if your battery cable is the problem.

What should I do if my car battery isn’t charged?

The charged battery should get you started (give the starter a couple taps before starting if its still clicking), if the fresh battery doesn’t get you started your battery could be bad. Drive the car normally, close to home or with a support vehicle in case it dies again.

Why does my car not start when the Lights Come On?

As CharlieRB pointed out, just because the lights come on doesn’t mean the battery is ok. However, there are a few other things it could be. It could be that the battery is OK, but is not being charged sufficiently by the alternator. It could also be that the battery and alternator are ok, but that you could have what is called voltage drop.

What to do if your truck is not starting?

The simplest way to diagnose that problem is to clean the battery terminals and the large starter terminal ( MAKE SURE TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY + TERMINAL BEFORE DISCONNECTING THE STARTER CABLE OR YOU COULD GET A SEVERE BURN ).

Why does a car battery not start after jumping?

Inexpensive jumper cables that are not thick enough to carry sufficient current won’t perform to the level you expect, and your car won’t start after a jump. Cables that are too long have more internal resistance, and they may not transfer enough of the donor battery’s power to your car.

What to do if your car battery won’t start?

If the replaced battery car won’t start, the first thing to check is whether you replaced the battery correctly. Are the cable clamps tight? Are the cables themselves in good shape?

Why does my car not start when I try to start it?

But if the battery doesn’t have enough juice to start the engine or repeatedly needs a jump start, the problem may originate elsewhere, and jumper cables or even a new battery won’t solve the problem. Here are eight possible reasons your car won’t start.

The simplest way to diagnose that problem is to clean the battery terminals and the large starter terminal ( MAKE SURE TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY + TERMINAL BEFORE DISCONNECTING THE STARTER CABLE OR YOU COULD GET A SEVERE BURN ).

What does it mean when your car won’t start?

Let us walk you through the car’s main reasons won’t start, but the battery is good. Even if you think that the battery is good, probably by seeing the lights working or the radio functioning, it doesn’t indicate a good battery. Therefore, the first thing you need to confirm and check is the battery.

What to do if your truck wont start?

Have you fully charged the battery on a charger overnight or several hours. Have someone crankcase it while you check the voltage with a meter. If it willl probably drop out. Thanks y’all! oreillys ran a load test today….and turns out it’s not putting out many amps. (Previous battery test was while battery was still on the truck).

Most auto parts stores will test a battery for free to see if it has enough voltage and cold-cranking amps to start the engine. If the battery passes the test, then it isn’t being sufficiently recharged. That could be caused by corrosion on the battery terminals, or a loose or faulty cable.

You can do one of two tests to confirm that your battery maintains the charge: the hydrometer or battery load tests. If your battery did not pass any of these tests, you might need to replace your vehicle’s battery. One of the fastest ways to confirm it’s not your battery causing the issue is using a jump start.

Let us walk you through the car’s main reasons won’t start, but the battery is good. Even if you think that the battery is good, probably by seeing the lights working or the radio functioning, it doesn’t indicate a good battery. Therefore, the first thing you need to confirm and check is the battery.

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Ruth Doyle