What to Do If the Car Won't Start After Sitting for Too Long?
2 Answers
Here are the solutions for a car that won't start: 1. Self-contained power starter: You can keep an emergency power starter in your car, similar to a mobile power bank, which can charge the car anytime and is easy to carry. After the car has been parked for a long time, there's no need to worry about a dead or low battery—simply connect it to the emergency starter. However, make sure the power starter is charged; otherwise, this method won't work. 2. Jump-start method: You can ask a friend or acquaintance nearby in the parking lot for help, provided you have a set of jumper cables. Use the jumper cables to charge the car by connecting the positive terminals (red clamps) and negative terminals (black clamps) of both cars. After some time, the car battery will have enough power to start. Note that you must connect the positive terminal first, followed by the negative terminal, and when disconnecting, remove the negative terminal first, then the positive terminal. 3. Push-start method: If the above two methods are not feasible, try this simplest and most common method, but it only works for manual transmission cars. Put the car in first gear and slowly release the clutch. This method uses the rotational force of the wheels to drive the engine flywheel. In simple terms, human effort replaces the engine starter motor—pushing the car to rotate the flywheel and start the engine as long as the motor reaches the required flywheel rotation speed.
A while ago, my car sat in the garage for almost three months, and when I tried to start it, it wouldn’t fire up at all—my heart sank. After checking, I found out the battery was completely dead because prolonged inactivity causes gradual discharge. I first tried charging it with a portable charger for four hours, but it didn’t work—probably due to aging. In the end, I called a repair shop to inspect it, and they said the battery was beyond saving and needed replacement. They advised that if the car is left unused for too long, it’s best to start it for a few minutes regularly or simply disconnect the negative terminal of the battery. Now I’ve learned my lesson—I start the car every two weeks, and haven’t had any issues since. I often share this experience in the community group, and many neighbors have faced the same issue, all agreeing that maintenance is crucial.
