You are aware of how to handle a dead automobile battery. It should restart with a simple jump start, but what comes to pass if it doesn’t?
Then, you are dealing with more severe problems than you initially thought when the automobile would not start with a jump. Look what we found out about jumpstarting a car!
Why Won’t My Car Jump Start?
1. Poor Connection
If your vehicle’s battery is in good shape, it can be an issue with the battery terminals or jumper cables when connected.
That said, to check for corrosion on the battery, inspect the connections and terminals. Fortunately, this issue is simple to resolve and only requires water and baking soda.
But, before attempting to jump it once more, reattach the battery and jumper wires and ensure everything is safe.
2. Faulty Jumper Cables
Don’t skip over the obvious before diving into any potential deeper issues. For example, your jumper wires are likely failing you if they are thin or inexpensive.
So, before trying to start the vehicle, you should try leaving the battery wires attached for about five minutes to give the excellent battery time to charge the faulty battery.
Further, the cables can eventually break, even if you have a nice set, especially if you don’t take care of them. Alternately, use a compact jump starter or a different set of wires.
As a result, it can also be problematic if you try to start a more significant engine if you purchase skinny jumper wires.
3. Dead Car Battery
Car battery problems are typically caused by a battery that’s entirely dead and has a bad state or a short circuit, which might result in an electrical issue.
Therefore, when you can’t recharge the battery, the jump start won’t operate.
Of course, smaller jumper wires cannot provide the necessary power without temporarily charging the faulty battery with a healthy battery.
Thus, the jumper connections won’t be sufficient if the battery cannot accept the power.
Further, the headlights growing weaker or the start time lengthening were likely signs that the battery was fading.
Next, the battery would be bench tested at your neighborhood auto parts retailer or repair shop to see whether you can still jump-start.
4. Faulty Starter
When the key is turned in the ignition, the starter turns on the engine. The starter cranks as power are transferred from the battery to it.
Even if you try to jump-start the battery, you won’t be able to power the engine if the starter starts to malfunction. Most likely, a clicking noise will let you know the starter has failed.
5. Malfunctioning Neutral Safety Switch
Automatic transmissions include a neutral safety switch that prevents your car from running if it is not in neutral or park.
Of course, your automobile can receive a false reading whenever the neutral safety mechanism malfunctions, leaving the engine unable to start.
Therefore, try shifting into neutral to test whether it starts with that modification. Otherwise, figuring out whether the neutral safety switch has managed to fail might be challenging.
6. Bad Alternator
A defective alternator may not instantly cause this issue, but it may lead your automobile to shut off shortly after you unplug the jumper wires.
It is because the battery cannot function by itself. Instead, the alternator keeps your car’s battery charged whenever the engine runs and powers the electrical system.
So, if the alternator breaks out, the battery will run out of energy and die again. Unfortunately, many individuals confuse the signs of a damaged alternator with a dead battery.
Therefore, you may bring your vehicle to your neighborhood auto parts shop so an expert can examine your alternator.
7. Empty Fuel
You may not have any fuel in the tank, which would explain why your automobile won’t start even after receiving a jump.
Unfortunately, this problem is simple to miss and can be embarrassing to acknowledge as the source of the issue.
Typically, you ought to be conscious of how much fuel is in your car.
But occasionally, you could just forget to fill it up, experience a gas leak, or have someone borrow your car and have them return it with an empty tank.
Therefore, attempting to jump-start your automobile with an empty gas tank won’t help either.
8. Faulty Spark Plugs
If you have defective spark plugs, it’s conceivable that you won’t be able to start your automobile even after you jumpstart it, similar to the starter problem.
Further, the spark plugs utilize the power from the starter, which is sent to the engine when you turn the key in the ignition to ignite the air and fuel mixture in the combustion chamber.
Also, it doesn’t matter whether you received a jump if your spark plugs aren’t working because your engine would not start without a spark.
Although it’s pretty improbable that all of the spark plugs may malfunction at once, if you have a few failing, it’s still conceivable that your car won’t start despite the battery being still charged.
9. Terminals Are Not Working Properly
The terminals on top of your battery are how it connects to your car; the jumpers are connected to these identical objects.
So, if your battery’s terminals aren’t functioning correctly, your battery may still be alright, but the jumpstart and your battery won’t operate.
With that, it may occur if the terminals are flimsy or highly corroded.
Corrosion is visible as a white, crusty material all over the battery connections. Also, the battery will stop working even after a jump if the wires are slack and not secured firmly.
A wire brush may be used to remove any possible rust, and adjusting the cable clamps will restore functionality.
10. Clogged Fuel Filter
All automobiles have gasoline filters that clear the fuel before it enters the engine, whatever the engine type.
Unfortunately, this process leaves filters vulnerable to debris accumulation, leading to a blocked fuel filter, which will prevent fuel from getting to the engine and cause engine failure.
You must guarantee your gasoline filter stays clean and practical. That said, most manufacturers advise changing the gasoline filter after 50,000 miles or five years.
However, the owner’s handbook provides detailed instructions. Most mechanics consider this excessive and recommend replacing or flushing it every 10,000 miles.
11. Malfunctioning Ignition Switch
One of the essential electrical parts in several automobiles and trucks is the ignition switch, which is often written behind the ignition lock cylinder on the steering column.
Together, these two components power and start your automobile. So, if the battery is in fine shape, but the car won’t start after a few attempts, your ignition switch may be malfunctioning.
You might want to try switching on the headlights to help pinpoint the source of the issue.
Additionally, since the battery powers the headlights and dashboard, the ignition switch may be the primary issue if they are on, but the engine still won’t start.
To know more, you can also read our posts on why your Bluetooth is not working in your car, why your brake caliper is sticking, and why your brake pedal is soft.
Conclusion
There are various reasons you could still not be able to start after a jump start, even when your battery is in fine shape.
Therefore, you should examine your battery to determine whether it can sustain a charge to rule out the potential concerns mentioned above.
Overall, it’s better to understand that it’s time to get a new battery if it’s been used for three to five years or more to avoid problems like this.