What Happens When a Car Battery Dies?
3 Answers
When a car battery dies, the following situations may occur: 1. Difficulty starting the car; 2. Headlights dim when decelerating; 3. The battery warning light turns on. Reasons for a dead car battery include: 1. The car has been parked for a long time; 2. The battery has reached the end of its lifespan; 3. Engine damage; 4. Insufficient battery electrolyte or leakage; 5. Blown fuse; 6. Corrosion of battery terminals. Methods to prevent a dead car battery include: 1. Remember to turn off lights and audio systems before shutting down the engine; 2. Develop the habit of turning off the air conditioning before shutting down the engine; 3. Avoid long-term parking of the car; 4. Regularly clean the car battery; 5. Do not use power-consuming configurations in the car after the engine is turned off.
Having driven for over a decade, I've encountered a dead battery a few times. The most obvious sign is when the car won't start—turning the key just produces a few clicks from the starter with no engine response at all. All the electrical components in the car stop working too: the infotainment screen goes black, the horn doesn't sound, and the headlights either don't turn on or are as dim as fireflies. The steering wheel suddenly becomes extremely heavy because the electric power steering fails! After turning off the engine, the windows won't roll up or down either. If there's a tiny bit of power left in the battery, the door locks might malfunction, forcing you to use the mechanical key to open the door. If you notice these symptoms, don't keep trying to start the car—call for a jump-start or roadside assistance immediately.
That time when I returned from a business trip to find my car completely dead was truly embarrassing. Opening the door had to be done with the mechanical key, just like unlocking an old-fashioned security door. The moment I got in, everything felt off: the dashboard backlight was completely dark, the needles drooped motionless; pressing the remote key for unlocking elicited no response at all; inserting the key to power on, the center console couldn't even be bothered to make a sound. Attempting to start it, the starter just shivered without doing its job. The most troublesome part was the electronic parking brake being locked, making the car immovable even when pushed. Eventually, I managed to get it going with a power bank jump-start. Now, I always carry an emergency jump starter in the car, so even as a woman, I can handle such situations without panic.
