What Are the Solutions When a Car Battery Dies and the Car Won't Start?
3 Answers
When a car battery dies and the car won't start, the solutions are: 1. Push-starting the car manually; 2. Replacing the car battery; 3. Charging the battery; 4. Using jumper cables, ensuring positive connects to positive and negative to negative; 5. Using another vehicle to tow-start the car. The functions of a car battery include: 1. Providing power to the starting system, ignition system, and electronic fuel injection system when starting the engine; 2. Supplying power to the car's electrical equipment when the engine is off or at low idle; 3. Assisting in power supply when the electrical demand exceeds the alternator's capacity; 4. Stabilizing voltage to protect the car's electronic devices.
The year I started driving, I also had the embarrassing experience of a dead battery. Luckily, my dad taught me how to jump-start a car. Here are the specific steps: Find a working car and park it close, then turn off both engines. Use the red jumper cable to connect the positive terminals (marked with a +) of both car batteries, then use the black cable to connect the positive terminal of the working car to a metal part of your engine as a ground. Start the working car's engine and let it idle for a few minutes, then try starting your car. If it starts, don’t turn it off immediately—keep driving for about half an hour to let the alternator recharge the battery. If the issue keeps recurring, it might be a sign of an aging battery, which costs around $80 to replace, or you should check if the alternator is faulty. Always remember to turn off headlights and entertainment systems when parking, especially in winter. I keep a portable jump starter, which costs around $200—just plug it in to start the car, and it’s a lifesaver during trips.
When my roommate and I were on a road trip, the car battery suddenly died. We searched for solutions on our phones: first, find a nearby vehicle to help with a jump start, but make sure not to reverse the cable connections—connect positive to positive (red) and negative to negative or use a black cable to connect to the engine's metal plate. After starting, accelerate to charge the battery and drive straight to a repair shop for a check-up. If no help is available, use a portable jump starter, which costs around 300 yuan online and is handy. A battery typically lasts about five years before it’s done. Before replacing it, test the voltage: if it’s below 12V, it’s definitely dead. I usually install a smart charger to monitor its lifespan and avoid wasting power by running the AC when the engine is off. Prevention is key—test the battery before a long trip.
