What to Do When the Car Battery Dies and Cannot Start?
2 Answers
Solutions for a car battery dying and being unable to start include: emergency push-starting, which is only applicable to manual transmission vehicles—note that it's best to avoid busy roads with many vehicles and pedestrians when push-starting; tow-starting, which works for both manual and automatic transmission vehicles; and jump-starting, which requires borrowing another vehicle. Push-Starting: This method is only suitable for manual transmission cars. Avoid busy roads with many vehicles and pedestrians when push-starting; instead, choose a gentle downhill slope to help build speed. Before pushing the car, turn on the ignition. Once sufficient speed is reached, engage the gear and quickly release the clutch pedal while pressing the accelerator. Once the engine starts, promptly depress the clutch pedal and control the throttle to prevent stalling, then slowly come to a stop. Tow-Starting: Use a tow rope of appropriate length and secure both ends firmly. Before towing, the drivers of both vehicles should agree on communication signals. Start slowly, with the front car's driver paying attention to the rear car's movement and road traffic conditions. Once the rear car starts, its driver should signal the front car, which should then slowly pull over to the roadside to stop. Jump-Starting: Borrow another vehicle. First, open the hoods of both cars. Connect the negative terminal of the jumper cable to the dead battery's negative terminal and the other end to the donor car's negative terminal. Similarly, connect the positive terminal of the jumper cable to the dead battery's positive terminal and the other end to the donor car's positive terminal. Then, start the donor car and rev the engine slightly. After the dead car starts, keep it running for 15 to 20 minutes to allow the alternator to recharge the battery.
I once had my car battery suddenly die on a long drive, and I was in a real panic. I quickly borrowed jumper cables from a driver on the roadside. He parked his car in front of mine, and with both engines off, we popped the hoods. We connected the red clamp to the positive terminal on both batteries and the black clamp to the negative terminals. The rescuer started his car and revved the engine a couple of times. I waited three minutes before turning the key, and my car started right up. Never turn off the engine immediately—drive for at least half an hour to let the alternator recharge the battery. Remember to check the battery terminals every three months for white corrosion, which can be washed off with hot water. With ten years of driving experience, I've seen too many battery failures. The worst is when it happens in winter’s freezing temperatures. Keeping a portable jump starter handy is the best precaution.
