Ok guys, i searched through previous thread and i couldnt find an answer so heres my problem. I put my car in the garage for the winter and started it a few times throughout the winter. About a month ago, i went to start the car again and it wouldnt start and there was not enough volts to start the car, so i charged the battery and the car started right up. I ran the car for a while and then shut it off and started it back up again and it wouldnt start again. I took the battery to autozone and they said my brand new optima red top was dead so they gave me a free replacement. I installed the new battery and once again, the same problem happened. Now i think this new battery is and i cant figure it out at all. Im thinkin maybe the battery terminals got bad somehow over the winter but they look fine. Also, i know i shouldve disconnected the battery over the winter but i didnt think it would cause problems like this. Can someone please help me out.
car not starting problems
- Thread starter PonyPower96
- Start date
-
Sponsors (?)
MustangLX-5.0
Founding Member
Sometimes it's best to charge a new battery before you install it.Who knows how long that replacement battery has sat on the store shelves.Put the new battery on a charger for a few hours then throw it in and see how it goes.
Here's a checklist:
Check battery, terminal connections, ground, starter relay switch (also known as solenoid) and starter in that order.
A voltmeter is handy if you are familiar with how to use it to find bad connections. Measure the voltage drop across a connection: more than .5 volts across a connection indicates a problem.
See http://www.fluke.com/application_notes/automotive/circuit.asp?AGID=1&SID=103#volt for a diagram on how to do voltage drop testing
1.) Will the car start if it is jumped? Then clean battery terminals and check the battery. Most auto parts stores will do a free battery check if you bring them the battery.
2.) Check the battery to engine block ground, and the ground behind the engine to the firewall.
3.) Check the cables for cracks in the insulation, and corrosion around the wire where it joins the connector. Look for swelling of the cable’s diameter which would indicate corrosion inside the cable. Bending the cable can often reveal corrosive damage inside the cable when the outside looks OK.
4.) Put the car's transmission in neutral or have someone press in on the clutch. Then pull the small push on connector (red wire) off the starter relay (Looks like it is stuck on a screw) and jump it to the terminal that is connected to the battery. If it starts, the relay is good and your problem is in the rest of the circuit.
5.) .) Remember to check the ignition switch, neutral safety switch on auto trans and the clutch safety switch on manual trans cars. If they are good, then the relay is bad. See http://www.autozone.com/images/cds/gif/large/0900823d80195960.gif for a very good diagram of the starter & neutral safety switch wiring
6.) Jump the big terminals on the starter relay next to the battery with a screwdriver - watch out for the sparks! If the engine cranks, the starter and power wiring are good. The starter relay is also known as a starter solenoid. If jumpering the two big solenoid posts made the starter crank, the logical next step is to replace the starter solenoid (also known as the starter relay).
7.) The starter may be hung, loosen up the bolts that hold it on, and give it a good whack with a big hammer. Tighten up the bolts and try again.
8.) Pull the starter and take it to Autozone or Pep Boys and have them test it. If the starter fails the test, then replace it. If you got this far, the starter is probably bad.
Check battery, terminal connections, ground, starter relay switch (also known as solenoid) and starter in that order.
A voltmeter is handy if you are familiar with how to use it to find bad connections. Measure the voltage drop across a connection: more than .5 volts across a connection indicates a problem.
See http://www.fluke.com/application_notes/automotive/circuit.asp?AGID=1&SID=103#volt for a diagram on how to do voltage drop testing
1.) Will the car start if it is jumped? Then clean battery terminals and check the battery. Most auto parts stores will do a free battery check if you bring them the battery.
2.) Check the battery to engine block ground, and the ground behind the engine to the firewall.
3.) Check the cables for cracks in the insulation, and corrosion around the wire where it joins the connector. Look for swelling of the cable’s diameter which would indicate corrosion inside the cable. Bending the cable can often reveal corrosive damage inside the cable when the outside looks OK.
4.) Put the car's transmission in neutral or have someone press in on the clutch. Then pull the small push on connector (red wire) off the starter relay (Looks like it is stuck on a screw) and jump it to the terminal that is connected to the battery. If it starts, the relay is good and your problem is in the rest of the circuit.
5.) .) Remember to check the ignition switch, neutral safety switch on auto trans and the clutch safety switch on manual trans cars. If they are good, then the relay is bad. See http://www.autozone.com/images/cds/gif/large/0900823d80195960.gif for a very good diagram of the starter & neutral safety switch wiring
6.) Jump the big terminals on the starter relay next to the battery with a screwdriver - watch out for the sparks! If the engine cranks, the starter and power wiring are good. The starter relay is also known as a starter solenoid. If jumpering the two big solenoid posts made the starter crank, the logical next step is to replace the starter solenoid (also known as the starter relay).
7.) The starter may be hung, loosen up the bolts that hold it on, and give it a good whack with a big hammer. Tighten up the bolts and try again.
8.) Pull the starter and take it to Autozone or Pep Boys and have them test it. If the starter fails the test, then replace it. If you got this far, the starter is probably bad.
Here's a checklist:
Check battery, terminal connections, ground, starter relay switch (also known as solenoid) and starter in that order.
A voltmeter is handy if you are familiar with how to use it to find bad connections. Measure the voltage drop across a connection: more than .5 volts across a connection indicates a problem.
See http://www.fluke.com/application_notes/automotive/circuit.asp?AGID=1&SID=103#volt for a diagram on how to do voltage drop testing
1.) Will the car start if it is jumped? Then clean battery terminals and check the battery. Most auto parts stores will do a free battery check if you bring them the battery.
2.) Check the battery to engine block ground, and the ground behind the engine to the firewall.
3.) Check the cables for cracks in the insulation, and corrosion around the wire where it joins the connector. Look for swelling of the cable’s diameter which would indicate corrosion inside the cable. Bending the cable can often reveal corrosive damage inside the cable when the outside looks OK.
4.) Put the car's transmission in neutral or have someone press in on the clutch. Then pull the small push on connector (red wire) off the starter relay (Looks like it is stuck on a screw) and jump it to the terminal that is connected to the battery. If it starts, the relay is good and your problem is in the rest of the circuit.
5.) .) Remember to check the ignition switch, neutral safety switch on auto trans and the clutch safety switch on manual trans cars. If they are good, then the relay is bad. See http://www.autozone.com/images/cds/gif/large/0900823d80195960.gif for a very good diagram of the starter & neutral safety switch wiring
6.) Jump the big terminals on the starter relay next to the battery with a screwdriver - watch out for the sparks! If the engine cranks, the starter and power wiring are good. The starter relay is also known as a starter solenoid. If jumpering the two big solenoid posts made the starter crank, the logical next step is to replace the starter solenoid (also known as the starter relay).
7.) The starter may be hung, loosen up the bolts that hold it on, and give it a good whack with a big hammer. Tighten up the bolts and try again.
8.) Pull the starter and take it to Autozone or Pep Boys and have them test it. If the starter fails the test, then replace it. If you got this far, the starter is probably bad.
Check battery, terminal connections, ground, starter relay switch (also known as solenoid) and starter in that order.
A voltmeter is handy if you are familiar with how to use it to find bad connections. Measure the voltage drop across a connection: more than .5 volts across a connection indicates a problem.
See http://www.fluke.com/application_notes/automotive/circuit.asp?AGID=1&SID=103#volt for a diagram on how to do voltage drop testing
1.) Will the car start if it is jumped? Then clean battery terminals and check the battery. Most auto parts stores will do a free battery check if you bring them the battery.
2.) Check the battery to engine block ground, and the ground behind the engine to the firewall.
3.) Check the cables for cracks in the insulation, and corrosion around the wire where it joins the connector. Look for swelling of the cable’s diameter which would indicate corrosion inside the cable. Bending the cable can often reveal corrosive damage inside the cable when the outside looks OK.
4.) Put the car's transmission in neutral or have someone press in on the clutch. Then pull the small push on connector (red wire) off the starter relay (Looks like it is stuck on a screw) and jump it to the terminal that is connected to the battery. If it starts, the relay is good and your problem is in the rest of the circuit.
5.) .) Remember to check the ignition switch, neutral safety switch on auto trans and the clutch safety switch on manual trans cars. If they are good, then the relay is bad. See http://www.autozone.com/images/cds/gif/large/0900823d80195960.gif for a very good diagram of the starter & neutral safety switch wiring
6.) Jump the big terminals on the starter relay next to the battery with a screwdriver - watch out for the sparks! If the engine cranks, the starter and power wiring are good. The starter relay is also known as a starter solenoid. If jumpering the two big solenoid posts made the starter crank, the logical next step is to replace the starter solenoid (also known as the starter relay).
7.) The starter may be hung, loosen up the bolts that hold it on, and give it a good whack with a big hammer. Tighten up the bolts and try again.
8.) Pull the starter and take it to Autozone or Pep Boys and have them test it. If the starter fails the test, then replace it. If you got this far, the starter is probably bad.
thanks for the checklist. i checked all the cables on my car and the negative cable seems a little suspect. I bought my car with a trunk mounted battery and ground where the negative cable is screwed on is all fried up and the cable seems very stiff. Im thinkin this is the problem. My car right now is getting about 10 volts at startup and isnt holding a charge so im thinkin this may be it.
you could also have a bad alternator. with a trunk mounted battery, ground upgrades are imperative. i have used a set of jumper cables as a 'booster' for the ground cables. if it works better with the jumper on there as an extra ground, i know to clean and/or upgrade my grounds. i got some nice ground straps that i am gonna install for the fun of it (you can never have too much ground).
good luck.
good luck.
Similar threads
