Normally, cars that don’t want to start need a new car battery to get things working again. Unfortunately, a new battery may not always solve your problems.
If your car does not start with a new battery, you may be wondering what the issue is. We did the research, and here is what we learned about the matter!
Why Won’t My Car Start With A New Battery?
1. Improper Installation
A simple reason why your car does not start after you added a new battery is that you did not install the battery properly.
Usually, you just have to open the hood of your car again to see if you forgot a step. For instance, you may not have tightly clamped down the cables.
2. Damaged Or Dirty Cables
To use your car battery, it has to be clamped down by cables to transfer the energy in and out of your car battery.
However, you need to ensure that your cables are in good condition, especially your positive cable; otherwise, no energy would be moving in or out of your battery.
Also, you will need to get new cables if there are any signs of damage to the cables. If your cables are a little rusty, you can use a wire brush, baking soda, and water to clean them.
3. Incompatible Car Battery
Another common reason your car will not start with a new battery is that you purchased and installed an incompatible car battery.
Unfortunately, car batteries are not universal because cars often require specific models, makes, and years for batteries.
Additionally, each car battery will have different power and sizes that will suit different cars.
For instance, a standard battery used for a four-cylinder motor will not provide enough power for a large pickup truck.
4. Faulty Starter
Sometimes, your car battery may not be the issue, leading to a misdiagnosis if you have a faulty starter.
A starter engages your engine’s flywheel when you start your car to deliver power to your engine, but a faulty starter will keep your car from turning on.
Usually, you will know that you have a faulty starter if your engine will not start, but your car’s lights can switch on.
5. Corrosion On The Connectors
Occasionally, corrosion can occur on the connectors and terminal posts for your car battery because the battery acid releases hydrogen gases.
Generally, there will be interference with your battery’s connection if there is too much corrosion, such as keeping your car from starting.
6. Bad Alternator
If your car can turn on after you installed the new battery, but your car only stays on for a short period, you probably have an issue with your alternator.
Usually, your car battery only gives power to a non-running engine and helps the car start. However, an alternator is actually in charge of producing most of your car’s electricity.
So, a bad alternator will not be able to provide enough power to the car battery to recharge it, causing the car to shut off quickly.
7. Seized Engine
Another way you could misdiagnose your car’s problem as a bad battery is if you have a seized engine.
Normally, a seized engine will be the issue if there have been other signs that your engine is failing.
For instance, you may hear tapping or knocking in your engine when you try to start your car. You may also notice smoking or a burning smell while you turn on your car.
Usually, it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly what caused your engine to seize, so you would need to ask a mechanic to help you find the source of the problem.
8. Faulty Ignition Switch
Your car has an ignition switch that sends energy to the ignition controls, engine controls, and starter motor.
So, when the ignition switch goes bad, it could cause various issues, including your car engine not starting.
Additionally, you can tell if your ignition switch is faulty if you have a flickering car dashboard, a silent starter motor, your car stalls, or your key does not turn.
9. Clogged Fuel Filters
There are fuel filters that keep contaminants and dirt from entering your engine, but these fuel filters can become partially or completely blocked over time.
Usually, your fuel filter would have to be completely blocked to keep your car from starting because fuel will not be able to go to the car engine.
10. Frozen Fuel Lines
If you live in a cold climate, especially with sub-freezing temperatures, you could have frozen fuel lines.
Occasionally, the cold temperatures can cause the fuel within the fuel lines to freeze, keeping gasoline from entering your engine and not letting your car start
11. Worn Out Spark Plugs
In most cars, combustion in the engine cylinder is required to start the car, which occurs from the right mixture of fuel and air with a spark from a spark plug.
However, if the spark plug is worn out, it will not produce the spark needed to ignite the fuel-air mixture in the engine cylinder, preventing your car from starting.
To know more, you can also read our posts on why your brake lights are staying on, why your airbag light is flashing on your Nissan Maxima, and why your Bluetooth is not working on your car.
Conclusion
Occasionally, a car will not start with a new battery because you chose the wrong car battery, you did not install the battery properly, or the connector is dirty.
Further, the battery may not be the issue because your car could not start due to bad spark plugs, faulty alternators, etc.
replaced old battery two two weeks later it won’ t start.