Why Won't My Engine Start ?
Finding the reason why your engine will not start can be a very frustrating problem. The battery and
starter motor's principal job is to start the engine. While the engine is running, the alternator,
voltage regulator and battery all work together to provide stable source of power for your car and to
recharge the battery. All of these components, including the wiring and wiring connections, must be in
good working order to start and operate your engine.
Assuming you have sufficient fuel and the engine and ignition system is in good working order, the
following is a list of two simple instructions on how to troubleshoot the problem and isolate the source:
If there are no lights, CHECK the wiring, battery terminal mating surfaces, and grounding straps for
corrosion or oxidation. Clean each end to bare metal. Bad or corroded connections are very common causes.
If good, then
Test the starter. Burned solenoid contacts or worn starter motor brushes are common problems for
older vehicles.
Simple stuff, like corrosion, bad cable connections, loose alternator belt,
or a dead battery, can cause your car not start. If the problem is not corrected, take your vehicle to
the nearest ‘Base Terminal’ or a good auto electric shop.
What Do I Look For In Buying A New Battery ?
When selecting a battery type, it is extremely important that you select one that will match the voltage
output of your charging system. The easiest way to accomplish this is to replace your battery with the same
or compatible type of battery that originally was installed.
Buying Tips
The following are some tips for consumers for buying car, motorcycle, truck, marine and recreational
vehicle starting and deep cycle batteries. Before you buy a replacement battery, you should fully charge your
old battery, remove the surface charge and test it. You could have a faulty charging system.
Batteries are perishable, so buy the freshest available.
The date of manufacture is often stamped on the case or printed on a sticker. Always have a new battery tested,
and recharged if necessary, before you leave the store.
Look for warranties
Pro rated battery replacement warranties gives you better exchange cost are not necessarily indicative of
the quality or cost over the life of the battery. The exception is the free replacement warranty, which
represents the risk that the manufacturer is willing to assume.
How Do I Install New Batteries ?
While working with lead-acid batteries please wear glasses to protect your eyes in the unlike event of
an explosion.
Following is a list of easy steps to replace your battery and assumes that there the electrical and
charging systems are in good condition:
Mark all of the battery cables so you will know how to reconnect to proper battery post or terminal and check
the cables and cable terminals closely for damage. A loose terminal connection, bad crimp or cut cable will
cause a high resistance and a large voltage drop when high current is running though it. If the cables
are reversed, you can do extensive damage to your electrical system.
For Car battery installations, to prevent voltage spikes from damaging electronic equipment such as the
radio, audio system, and security code settings, temporarily connect a second battery in parallel to the
electrical system before disconnecting the first battery.
Turn off all the electrical switches and breakers and electronic and electrical accessories and
appliances. Without using a hammer on the battery cable terminals or posts, remove the NEGATIVE (-) cable
first because this will minimize the possibility of shorting the battery when you remove the other cables.
Secure the negative cable so that it cannot "spring" loose and make electrical contact. Next remove the
POSITIVE (+) cable. Please remember that the battery terminal connector on the end of the POSITIVE (+)
battery cable maybe "hot" (or have voltage on it), so put it in a small plastic bag or cloth around it
so that it will not touch the metal frame or engine components.
Carefully lift the old battery out and dispose of it by exchanging it when you buy your new
replacement battery or by taking it to a recycling center. Please remember that batteries contain large
amounts of harmful lead, acid and other chemicals, so take great care with safety and please dispose
of your old battery properly to protect our fragile environment.
After removing the old battery, insure that the battery tray or box, cable terminals, and connectors are
clean. If the terminals, cables or hold-down brackets are corroded, replace them. A broken hold down bracket
will cause excessive battery vibration and that will cause a premature failure. Replace any battery cables
that are corroding, swelling or other damage with equal or larger diameter cable. Larger cable is better
because there is less voltage drop.
Check the positive and negative terminal markings on the replacement battery and position it so that the
NEGATIVE (-) cable will connect to the NEGATIVE (-) terminal. Reversing the polarity of the electrical
system can severely damage or destroy it. It can even cause the battery to explode.
After replacing and tightening the hold-down bracket, remove any plastic caps or covers on the terminals of
the replacement battery, and reconnect the cables in reverse order, that is, attach the POSITIVE (+) cable
first and the NEGATIVE (-) cable last. Connections need to be periodically checked for corrosion (or oxidation)
and retightened, including the grounding cables to the vehicle's frame and engine block.
To prevent corrosion, coat the terminals and exposed metal parts.
Remove the parallel battery and rest all the switches and breakers, if required.
Test the new battery by starting your engine.
Return your old battery to authorized dealer to save your environment.
How Do I Perform Preventive Maintenance ?
Performing preventive maintenance on batteries is easy and should occur once a month during hot weather
and every time the oil is changed in cold weather. Here are some simple steps:
While working with lead-acid batteries (and corrosion), please wear glasses to protect your eyes in
the unlike even of an explosion.
The plates need to be covered at all times to prevent an internal battery explosion or sulfation. If the electrolyte levels are above the plates but low, allow the battery to cool to room temperature, and add only distilled, deionized or demineralized water to the level indicated by the battery manufacturer. Avoid overfilling, especially in hot weather, because the heat will cause the electrolyte to expand and overflow. If the electrolyte levels are below the tops of the plates, add enough water to cover the plates, recharge the battery, and top-up the levels when the battery is at room temperature. Using tap water to refill batteries can produce calcium sulfate crystals that can fill the pores and coat the plates.
Tighten loose hold-down clamps, battery terminals and connectors.
If required, remove any corrosion, lead oxidation, paint or rust with a brass wire battery brush
(by brushing the corrosion away from you) or "ScotchBrite" pad from the mating surfaces of both ends
of each battery cable terminals, battery posts or terminals, and engine grounding strap connections.
(A stiff steel wire brush may damage protective lead plating on copper connectors or terminals). A good bare
metal to metal mating surface is required for good conductivity. To prevent corrosion on terminals, thinly
coat the terminals, terminal clamps and exposed metal around the Car battery with high temperature
grease or silicone. Corrosion is caused by one or more the following:
Dirty or wet battery tops normally caused from expansion of electrolyte from overfilled cells.
Acid fumes leaking through the vent caps, which could be a sign of overcharging.
Electrolysis due to the mismatch of metal alloys used in the battery posts and terminals.
Clean the battery top to eliminate conductive paths created by dried or wet electrolyte and to prevent
corrosion.
- Clean the alternator or charging system to allow better heat transfer and check the alternator belts
for cracks and correct tension.
- Replace any battery cables that are corroding, swelling or damaged with equal or larger diameter cable.
Larger cable is better because there is less voltage drop.
Please wear glasses in the unlikely even of a battery explosion and save your eyes.
If done incorrectly, jumping a dead Car battery can be dangerous and financially risky. These procedures are
ONLY for vehicles are both negatively grounded and that the electrical system voltages are the SAME.
These procedures would also apply to using emergency jump starters. The rule for jump starting a dead
battery is ALWAYS POSITIVE to POSITIVE and NEGATIVE (-) to the engine block or frame away from the dead
starting battery. Use the following layout before jump start.
Connect the POSITIVE booster cable (or jump starter) clamp (usually RED) to the POSITIVE (+) terminal
post on the dead Car battery [Step 1 in the diagram above].
Connect the POSITIVE clamp on the other end of the booster cable to the POSITIVE (+) terminal post on
the good starting battery [Step 2]. If the POSITIVE (+) battery terminal post is not accessible, the
POSITIVE connection on the starter motor solenoid from the POSITIVE (+) terminal post of the battery could be used.
Connect the NEGATIVE booster cable clamp (usually BLACK) to the NEGATIVE (-) terminal on the good Car
battery [Step 3].
Connect the NEGATIVE booster cable (or jump starter) clamp on the other end of the jumper cable to a
clean, unpainted area on the engine block or frame on the disabled vehicle [Step 4] and away from the
battery. This arrangement is used because some sparking will occur and you want to keep sparks as far
away from the Car battery as practical in order to prevent a battery explosion.
In all the cases please refer to the owner's manual.
Parasitic (or ignition key off) drain is the cumulative load produced by electrical devices,
for example, clocks, security alarms, radio presets, etc., that operate continuously after the engine
is stopped and the ignition key has been switched off. When the parasitic load is more then the
batteries will drain more quickly. Cooling fans, power seat belt retractors, radios and dome lights
left on, alarm systems, and electric car antennas have also caused batteries to drain overnight.
Protect your Car battery from high under hood temperatures with a heat shield or cover, keeping it
full charged at all times, and well maintained are the easiest ways to extend its life. In hot climates
and during the summer, the electrolyte levels need to be checked more frequently.
Leaving your lights or other accessories on and fully discharging a Car battery can ruin it, If
this should occur, you should fully recharge your battery with an external charger.
In extremely cold climates, keep the Car battery fully charged and the engine and battery warm.
In hot climates “water” is required more often and add distilled water, demineralized or
deionized water only. The plates must be covered at all times to prevent an internal battery explosion
or sulfation. Do not overfill, and keep the top of the battery clean. For better life of battery,
visit nearest “Base Terminal” every six months.
Turning off all unnecessary accessories, rear window heater, climate control, and lights before starting
your car, especially when it is cold.
Apply the correct battery type for the application.
For Car batteries, high under hood heat or overcharging causes a loss of water (which account for
over 50% of the failures); accelerated positive grid corrosion and increased self discharge.
Deep discharges, such as leaving your lights on.
Mismatch to the charging system.
Excessive vibration due to a loose hold down clamp.
Calcium or magnesium sulfation from using tap or reverse osmosis water.
What Are The Myths About Batteries ?
Storing a battery on a concrete floor will discharge them.
All lead-acid batteries will naturally self discharge. The rate of self discharge is
most influenced by the temperature of the battery's electrolyte and the chemistry of the plates.
Driving a car will fully recharge a battery
There are a number of factors affecting a vehicle charging system's ability to recharge a battery,
such as how much power from the alternator is diverted to the battery, how long the power is available,
and the temperature. Generally, idling the engine or short stop-and-go trips during bad weather or
at night will not fully recharge a car battery. When a dead battery needs to be recharged, it is best to
use an external battery charger because you could over heat and damage your vehicle's charging system.
A battery will not explode
Charging a wet lead-acid battery naturally produces hydrogen and oxygen gasses as electrolysis of
the water occurs. While spark retarding vent caps help prevent external battery explosions, sparks
occur when jumping, connecting or disconnecting charger or battery cables and ignite the gas causing
an explosion. Less common internal explosions usually occur while starting the engine or using the
battery and normally just blow the filler caps or cover off the battery and splatter electrolyte
all over the engine compartment or battery box.
The most probable cause of internal explosions are from a combination of low electrolyte levels below
the plates in the battery and a low resistance bridge is formed between or across the top of the
plates. The largest numbers of internal battery explosions occur in hot climates due to the loss
of water while starting the engine. Most internal battery explosions could have been prevented if
the plates were always covered with electrolyte.
A battery will not lose its charge sitting in storage
Depending on the type of battery and temperature, batteries have a natural self discharge or
internal electro chemical "leakage" at a 1% to 60% rate per month. Over time the battery will become
sulfated and fully discharged. Higher temperatures will significantly accelerate this process.
A battery stored at 95° F (35° C) will self-discharge twice as fast than one stored at 75° F (23.9° C)
"Maintenance Free" batteries never require maintenance
In hot climates, the water in the electrolyte is lost due to the high under hood temperatures. Water can also
be lost due to excessive charging voltage or charging currents.
Test the alternator by disconnecting the battery with the engine running
A battery acts like a voltage stabilizer or filter to the pulsating DC produced by the alternator.
Disconnecting a battery while the engine is running can destroy the sensitive electronic components
connected to the electrical system such as the radio, audio system, alarm system, etc., or the
charging system because the peak voltage can rise to 40 volts or more.
On really cold days turn your headlights on to "warm up" the battery up before starting your engine.
While there is no doubt that turning on your headlights will increase the current flow in a car battery,
it also consumes valuable capacity that could be used to start the cold engine. Therefore, this is not recommended.
Car batteries last longer in hot climates than in cold ones
Car batteries last an average of two thirds as long in hot climates as cold ones. Heat kills car
batteries, especially Maintenance Free batteries, and cold reduces the battery's starting capacity.
Bad batteries will not harm the charging system or starter
A bad or weak starting battery causes additional stress on a charging system, starter motor or starter
solenoid. It can cause premature failures due to compensating for the voltage or current. If you replace
a battery, alternator, voltage regulator or starter, you should test the other components for damage and
repair or replace them.
Once formed, batteries will not change polarity
If a battery is fully discharged and continues to have a load, for example leaving the headlights on,
it is possible for one or more cells to reverse polarity. When the battery has been recharged with
reversed polarity the polarity can change. This is referred to as "cell reversal". To change polarity,
fully discharge the battery and recharge it with the correct polarity.
Use tap water to refill batteries.
Use only distilled, deionized or demineralized water to replace the lost water in batteries because
using tap or reverse osmosis water can produce calcium or magnesium sulfate crystals that can fill
the pores and coat the plates.
How Long Can I Park My Vehicle ?
The amount of time, usually referred to as "airport" or "garage" time, that you can leave your
vehicle parked and still start your engine is dependent on such things as the battery's initial
State-of-Charge (SoC), the Reserve Capacity, the amount of natural self-discharge and temperature.
Car manufacturers normally design for at least 14 days or more "airport" time; based on a fully charged
battery in good condition, moderate weather, and no additions to the original car's parasitic load
(for example, an after market alarm system). The number of days will vary based on the temperature.
If you leave your vehicle parked for more than two weeks, then you have several options:
Disconnect the NEGATIVE (-) battery cable to remove the parasitic load, but be sure that you have saved
any security codes or radio stations presets that will have to be reprogrammed. The battery's natural
self discharge will continue.
Have someone drive your car during the day every two weeks for at least 15 minutes to keep the battery
charged. Install a low voltage disconnect. This is especially helpful if the driver forgets to turn the
headlights off.
