What to Do When the Car Battery Dies and the Car Won't Start?
2 Answers
Solutions for a dead car battery that won't start the engine: 1. Push-starting can be used as an emergency measure, but this only applies to manual transmission vehicles; 2. Jump-starting with another vehicle using jumper cables; 3. Using a portable emergency power bank to charge and start the car. In low-temperature environments, a battery's capacity can be significantly lower than at normal temperatures. Some older batteries may even experience low charge after overnight parking or prolonged inactivity in snowy or icy weather, leading to failure to start the engine. When the dashboard indicates low battery charge, it's important to recharge the battery promptly. If the car remains unused for an extended period, the battery will gradually lose charge even when idle. For long-term inactivity, remember to disconnect the battery cables or start the car periodically to allow the alternator to recharge the battery.
I also experienced a dead battery that wouldn't start the car last time, which really stressed me out. It happened in a supermarket parking lot. Fortunately, I had my phone with me. I first calmed down and checked if the battery terminals were loose—they weren't, so I knew the battery was completely dead. I quickly called a car-savvy friend for help with a jump start. He brought jumper cables and taught me the correct connection: red to red positive terminal, black to black negative terminal or car body metal—never reverse the connections, or it could cause a short circuit. After starting, the car ran, but the battery issue wasn't fully resolved, so I drove to a repair shop for inspection. They found the battery had aged and replaced it with a new one. Since then, I've developed a habit: checking all lights and electronics are off when shutting down the engine, keeping a portable charger in the car just in case, and having the mechanic test the battery voltage during regular maintenance to avoid such troubles. I recommend everyone take preventive measures too—don't wait until an emergency to panic.
