What to Do When the Car Won't Start Due to Dead Battery?
4 Answers
The solution for a car that won't start due to a dead battery is: you can call your insurance company for roadside assistance. A technician will arrive with the necessary tools to charge the battery, allowing you to start the vehicle. The battery is an essential part of a car and can be categorized into traditional lead-acid batteries and maintenance-free batteries. A lead-acid battery consists of positive and negative plates, separators, casing, electrolyte, and terminal posts. The battery uses a lead-calcium alloy grid frame, which minimizes water decomposition during charging and reduces water evaporation. Additionally, the sealed structure of the casing significantly reduces the release of sulfuric acid gas. This design eliminates the need for adding any liquid, ensures secure terminal connections, and provides long-lasting power storage.
Last time my car suddenly wouldn't start either, with the dashboard completely dark, which basically confirmed it was a battery issue. I immediately called a friend to come jump-start my car. The operation method is quite simple: prepare a red jumper cable to clamp onto the positive terminals of both car batteries, then connect the black clamp first to the negative terminal of the rescue car and then to a metal part of my car's engine. The most crucial part is to wait for the rescue car to idle for five minutes before attempting to start, otherwise insufficient power could damage the battery. After successfully starting, I drove straight to the auto repair shop. The mechanic tested the battery and found its lifespan was only 30%, so I replaced it on the spot. Now I've developed the habit of checking that all lights and AC are off before shutting down the engine, and I keep an emergency jump starter in the car. Even if I suddenly run out of power in an open parking lot, I don't panic anymore.
Yesterday a colleague asked me what to do when the car battery dies. I said don't panic and keep cranking the engine repeatedly, as it may damage the starter motor. Check the headlight brightness to determine the battery status: if the high beams appear extremely dim, the battery is completely dead. Don't push your luck without jumper cables - insurance companies usually provide free emergency assistance. When jump-starting with another vehicle, make sure not to reverse the positive and negative terminals; attaching the black clamp to a metal part of the rescued vehicle last is safer. After starting the car, drive for at least half an hour before shutting it down, otherwise a second stall would be more troublesome. When getting weekend maintenance at the 4S shop, have them check the battery health too - batteries older than three years are particularly prone to winter failures.
Don't rush to push the car when it's out of battery, checking the battery is the most practical solution. Open the hood and look at the battery inspection window—green means it's normal, black indicates it needs replacement. If you have jumper cables, ask any gasoline car for help: connect the red clips to the positive terminals and the black clip to the negative terminal of the rescue car and an unpainted metal part of your car. Wait two minutes before starting the engine to get it running. Once started, let the engine run for at least twenty minutes to recharge. If the battery is swollen or leaking, it must be replaced immediately. Develop the habit of turning off lights after shutting down the engine, especially in underground parking lots at shopping malls where reading lights are most likely to be forgotten.
