What to Do When Your Car Won't Start Due to a Dead Battery?
2 Answers
Methods to deal with a car that won't start due to a dead battery: Jump-start the car by removing the buckle of the battery box to open the battery protective cover, exposing the positive and negative terminals of the battery. Take a jumper cable and connect one end to the positive terminal of the dead battery and the other end to the positive terminal of the charged battery. Take another jumper cable, first connect it to the negative terminal of the charged battery, and then connect the other end to the negative terminal of the dead battery vehicle. Some car manuals suggest connecting the negative terminal to the engine grounding position. In fact, this is a conservative regulation by manufacturers because they believe that during the battery electrolysis process, flammable gas may be released. If sparks occur when connecting to the battery, there is a risk of explosion and fire. Theoretically, this is true, but in reality, it is almost impossible to encounter such a situation, so most of the time, it is connected to the negative terminal of the battery.
Once when I was driving to work, my car wouldn't start in the morning as I was about to leave, showing all the signs of a completely dead battery. I first calmed myself down, made sure the car was parked safely by the roadside with hazard lights on to avoid obstructing traffic. I checked if the battery terminals were loose or corroded, and when tightening them didn't help, I immediately called a friend to jump-start my car with his—remembering to connect the red clip to the positive terminals of both batteries and the black clip to the negative terminal or a metal part of the car body, prioritizing safety to avoid short circuits. After starting, I drove for over forty minutes to allow the alternator to fully recharge the battery. Later, reflecting on the incident, I realized it might have been due to an aging battery or leaving the interior lights on for several days, which drained the power. So now, I've developed the habit of checking the battery voltage and cleaning the terminals monthly, and I've bought a portable charger to keep in the car for emergencies. Prevention is better than cure, ensuring my travels aren't disrupted.
