can you drive a car with no battery

[LaylaLynn]

No, you cannot drive a car with a completely dead battery if the engine is off. The battery is essential for providing the massive burst of electricity needed to crank the starter motor and start the engine. Once the engine is running, the alternator takes over, powering the car's electrical systems and replenishing the battery. However, if the battery is totally dead and unable to power the starter, the engine cannot be started through normal means.

The only exception is a push-start (or bump-start) method, which is typically only possible with manual transmission vehicles. This technique uses the car's own momentum to turn the engine over, bypassing the need for the starter motor. It is generally not possible with automatic transmission cars because their torque converters prevent the necessary mechanical connection between the wheels and the engine.

Even if you successfully push-start a manual car, a failing alternator poses a significant risk. The alternator is responsible for generating electricity while the engine runs. If it's faulty, it won't be able to power the spark plugs, fuel injectors, and critical engine control computers. This means the car will run solely on the residual charge in the battery until it's depleted, after which the engine will stall, leaving you stranded.

Condition	Can You Start the Car?	Can You Drive the Car?	Key Consideration
Dead Battery, Good Alternator	No (unless push-start manual)	Yes, if push-started	The alternator will recharge the battery while driving.
Good Battery, Failed Alternator	Yes	For a short distance (10-20 miles)	The car runs on battery power alone until it drains.
Dead Battery & Failed Alternator	No	No	There is no source of electrical power for the engine.
Weak Battery, Good Alternator	Possibly (slow crank)	Yes	Jump-start is recommended; the alternator will recharge the battery.

If your battery is dead, the safest and most common solution is to jump-start the car using jumper cables and a donor vehicle or a portable jump starter. After a successful jump-start, it's advisable to drive the car for at least 20-30 minutes to allow the alternator to recharge the battery. A persistently dead battery often indicates it's time for a replacement or that there's an underlying issue with the charging system.

[Travis]

Nope, if it's totally dead and the engine's off, you're not going anywhere. That battery is what gives the starter the jolt it needs to wake the engine up. Now, if you've got a manual transmission, you might have a shot at a push-start—getting the car rolling in gear to pop the engine to life. But if you drive an automatic, forget it. Even if you get it started, if the alternator is bad too, the car will just die again once the little bit of leftover power in the battery is gone.

[DelAlaina]

Think of the battery as the key that unlocks the engine's ability to run. Without any charge, it can't power the starter. However, driving is a different story. If the engine is already running, a dead battery might not immediately stop you—unless the alternator, which charges the battery while driving, has also failed. In that case, you'd be running on borrowed time until the electrical systems shut down. For automatics, a dead battery almost always means you're stuck until you get a jump.

[SanChloe]

As a mechanic, I see this often. A "no crank" situation is usually a dead battery. The battery's primary job is to activate the starter solenoid and motor. Without sufficient voltage, that circuit is dead. You can try a jump-start, which uses another car's battery to complete the circuit. But if you jump it and the car dies soon after, your problem isn't the battery; it's almost certainly the alternator. It's not generating the power needed to keep the engine running and recharge the battery. A simple voltage test can confirm this.