My car's dead

[lizziegrace]

and this isn't even the cold snap we're expecting.

It started to turn over, then groaned and now all that's left is clicking.

The radio will turn on but it won't play. I hope it's just the battery.

My AAA use is suspended until April as I've used them 4 times already. x(

Damn.

[TZ]

1. could be the alternator as well.

You said the check engine light came on last week right?

[lizziegrace]

3. I found my gas cap wasn't on right

I've NEVER not seated a gas cap before.

I hope it's not the alternator. I don't have the money.

I'll wait til my neighbor gets home and will see if he will jump it. If I can get it running, I'll go to AutoZone and have them test the battery.

Bleh.

[PeaceNikki]

4. The clicking is definitely a battery issue.

I hope AutoZone is able to help!

:hi:

[lizziegrace]

5. I hope so too

I was just thinking that I bought a used car and had no idea how old the battery was. Guess I have my answer. Old enough. :)

:hi:

[AlCzervik]

2. my car died right before Christmas, turned out to be the alternator.

hopefully yours is just a battery issue.

[DS1]

6. If you have a local friend with AAA you can get them to call

and say "Hey look, fuckers, I wanna drive this car, come get it started"

because that's part of the contract

[lizziegrace]

7. I'll see when my neighbor gets home

I'm sure he'll jump it for me. If that doesn't work, then it will have to be towed somewhere.

I don't know if I want to ask someone to give up a service call when winter's only just beginning it's annual attempt to kill us...

:)

[SOteric]

38. Most towing companies also offer jumping services.

So if it comes down to that, see if you can't get the towing company to jump before you them tow it somewhere.

If the jump starts the car, then obviously, you need a new battery and you can get yourself to an autoparts store forthwith. Most of the bigger chains even have helpful folks who'll come out and show you how to change the battery yourself and they'll take the old battery off your hands and dispose of it in an environmentally sound manner.

Good luck!

[lizziegrace]

39. Thanks.

I'm the queen of "it's always something"

[flvegan]

8. I remember when AAA would still take the call, but just bill you the $20 payout

At least that's how it was a decade or so ago.

[lizziegrace]

9. I'll call and check

Last time I called them for lockout service (don't ask...) She was quick to remind me that this was my last service until April.

That's what happens when you have a 15 year old Honda, a Taurus with a cooling system leak (flood) and an idiot owner who managed to lock her keys in the trunk 500 miles from the spare set. ;)

[flvegan]

11. If they don't still do that, I agree with DS1. Phone a friend with AAA.

[MineralMan]

10. So sorry...

Symptoms sound like a bad battery or, if you're lucky, just dirty battery terminals. It's that time of year, I'm afraid. If the battery's over about 4 years old, it's probably gone. Right now, Mills Fleet Farm is selling auto batteries for about $50. Walmart's probably got some about the same price.

But, before doing that, check the terminals for corrosion or looseness. If your neighbor has a charger, put that on overnight and see how it does. If you're not handy, and your neighbor is, try removing the battery terminals, cleaning them, then re-installing. Again, charge the battery.

Or, if you think it's the battery, jumpstart the car and drive to someplace that can check the battery and install a new one, if needed, or clean the terminals.

[lizziegrace]

12. Thank you

that's the plan. Get it running and get the battery replaced (once it's tested). It's going to be too cold later this week to risk getting stranded again.

Last time I had the hood up, the terminals didn't look too bad.

:)

[PeaceNikki]

13. Wow! I can get auto batteries for much less than that!

Having connections is cool.

[lizziegrace]

14. ...

:P

Can they test them? I can go to one of the locations here in town and get one, or would Auto Zone be better?

You know, support the home team and all. ;)

[PeaceNikki]

15. Yes, it's what they do.

[lizziegrace]

16. I haven't been in one of the stores in 6 or 7 years

Thanks. :)

[Oeditpus Rex]

17. How cold has it been at night?

You know cold is hell on batteries.

[lizziegrace]

19. no colder than usual

single digits at night. The car's kept in a garage, so it's not quite as brutal.

[Oeditpus Rex]

20. You drive the car every day?

For how long?

[lizziegrace]

22. I drove it about 5 miles Saturday

Not since though.

[Oeditpus Rex]

23. Hmmm

Well, I've never lived in a cold climate, so I have no first-hand experience, but it seems to me that a five-mile jaunt even below freezing would give a battery that isn't wearing out in the first place enough of a charge to last two days.

I could just look upthread, probably, but... how old's the battery?

[lizziegrace]

26. No idea on the age

The car was bought used almost 2 years ago. It's a 2000. I can't get to it to look at the brand to see if it's a replacement. The car's in the garage up against the shelves. I'll have to push it out but don't want to try that alone. (The driveway's on an incline.)

[Oeditpus Rex]

29. I'm gonna go on the assumption that the battery's the original

and echo some previous advice: Take it to Pep Boys or whadevahyagot and get it tested. I'm betting it'll prove to have a couple of bad cells.

The upside of this, o' course, is that batteries are relatively inexpensive and easy to install.

:hug:



Oh, I forgot to ask: When you drove it Saturday, how did it crank?

[lizziegrace]

30. Cranked fine. It was in the 20's and it didn't hesitate.

I had the same thing happen to the Honda last summer. I started it and drove to the gas station. By the time I was done pumping gas, the thing would hardly start. I finally got it started and hobbled to AutoZone. The battery went from cranking to dead in a blink.

[Oeditpus Rex]

33. Okay, that's kinda strange

Batteries typically don't go from fine to dead unless acted upon by some outside force. Since it hasn't been that cold by your standards, so we can eliminate that one, I'm back to "Could be a number of things." :shrug:



Dammit, I wish I had me a teleportation device. :(

[lizziegrace]

34. It's okay, really

:hug:

I was driving 20 miles a day before I was laid off. Maybe that's what was keeping the thing going.

I'll let you know.

[Oeditpus Rex]

35. Nuh-uh

The hallmark of a dead battery is that it won't hold a charge. Wouldn't matter if you drove 200 miles a day or two.

The trick is figuring out why it won't hold a charge — is it the battery itself or is it not being sufficiently charged?

This is why Irving Craftsman makes tools. :)

[lizziegrace]

36. Well. Hmmm.

I don't have a clue then. If it's the battery, I'll replace it and get the car checked when I have a job and the money to have the diagnostics run.

[NJmaverick]

18. If your battery is 3 or moe years old, it's probably the battery

[lizziegrace]

25. Hope you're right. n/t

[Dangerously Amused]

21. I have Triple A.

And I have used no service calls this year. LMK.

[lizziegrace]

24. you have to present your card to the driver

I don't want you to drive that far...

:hug:

you're a sweetheart.

[Dangerously Amused]

27. I know, and it's okay.

I have driven further for a good cup of coffee. Unintentionally, but still. :)

[lizziegrace]

28. I'll let you know

thank you...

:)

[LaraMN]

31. Oh Jeebus!

Cars suck. Totally.
I sure wish life would cut you a break. It seems like you've got enough to deal with already.

:hug:

[lizziegrace]

32. Close your eyes and point to a job

;)

Whatta ya got?

Thank you. I'm looking for that sunny sky too. :hug:

[krispos42]

37. Either your battery is getting old...

and not holding a full charge anymore, or your alternater is dying and either unable to fully charge the battery or overcharging and damaging the battery.


You should be able to tell how old the battery is by looking at the label. They usually turn to mush at about 6 years old.

FYI your battery should be reading about 12.5 volts when it's just sitting there and between 13.5 and 14 volts when the engine is running. This is so you know what to look for when the battery guy is diagnosing the problem.



One other possability is that you're making a lot of short trips, and the alternator doesn't have enough run time to recharge the battery between starts.


Good luck!

[lizziegrace]

40. Good information

thank you! I'll watch the machine when it's tested. Now, to get it out of the garage. ;)

[keroro gunsou]

41. well...

i'd come over and toss some phoenix down on the engine if i thought it would do any good.


still, bummer of a time for a dead car. hopefully you aren't in wisconsin where the high this week is supposed to be 5 or 6 above zero.

[lizziegrace]

42. I'm in WI

that's what makes this urgent. I can't risk getting stranded in the weather coming in.

I'm known for my impeccable timing. ;)

[lizziegrace]

43. UPDATE

Retro was kind enough to come over and jump the car for me. It started right up, so when I got to Advanced Auto and they were so short-handed, I just bought a new battery. I had them install it but I waited 30 minutes in the freezing cold. Better there than the side of the highway.

It was a NAPA battery, so there'd be at least one replacement in the car's lifetime.

Off to thaw out.

Thanks for all the advice. It was money I don't have to spend, but it's money I HAD to spend. x(

[Dangerously Amused]

45. Yay!

I was just going to check in w you for a status report.

Thanks Retro!

[lizziegrace]

59. Yay!!

I wouldn't want you driving in this. I got behind a car that couldn't make the hill and had to turn around and find another way home. :eyes:

I'm glad to be home.

[Wapsie B]

46. Better a battery than a starter.

Those aren't cheap.

[lizziegrace]

55. Absolutely!

I dodged a bullet on this one.

[1gobluedem]

50. What a nice thing to do!

Now I don't have to send my brother over who would be hopeless anyway. But I could've sent his wife who wouldn't be.

[lizziegrace]

52. Hehe

I'm the son my father never had. Obviously your brother is the daughter your father already had. ;)

[TrogL]

44. Check your battery terminals - they are NOT supposed to have green fur

[lizziegrace]

54. They looked pretty good. The car's 9 years old on paper

this probably makes the 3rd battery. It was time.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

47. Check you car insurance policy

You may have towing coverage - if that's the case, who needs AAA? You should have it anyway - insurance coverage like that doesn't have a limit, unlike AAA. I never knew you could get suspended for using them too much.

That certainly sucks.

[lizziegrace]

51. Not suspended so much as they stop paying after 4 calls

My renewal is in April.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

57. That's "cancelled"

When they stop paying, you're effectively cancelled, no matter what they call it.

Again, check your car insurance. You just might have towing/roadside insurance. If that's the case, you don't need AAA any more. If you don't have it, get it. It's so cheap for what you get.

[lizziegrace]

58. I declined the additional towing and roadside on my auto

since I had AAA in force.

Live and learn I guess.

I can still use their other services. Just not roadside assistance.

[ThomCat]

48. Please call me and talk to me.

It sounds like you're buried in stuff and I don't know how you're doing.

I hope you have some angels helping you out. I wish I could be one of them. :hug:

[lizziegrace]

53. I'm beat Thom

Can I call you tomorrow.

Miss you...

:hug:

[Guava Jelly]

49. You may need a new battery

Sorry lizzie. it's always something aint it?:hug:

[lizziegrace]

56. Yep

x(


:hug:

[PaddyBlueEyes]

60. Holy Hell...

If there is anything you need LG, just ask..

[lizziegrace]

61. Some good news?

a job? Doesn't hurt to ask, does it? ;)

[astral]

62. My car won't die, it just won't go

I am not too sure it should still be "my car."

[SalmonChantedEvening]

63. Note to RL

Whatever you're drinking, I'm buying. :toast:

:hi: :hug: