Occasionally, you will have to replace your car’s old battery with a new one since the battery will run out of power eventually.
If you got a new car battery, but your car will not start, you may be wondering why that is. I looked up the facts, and here is what I learned!
Why Won’t My Car Start With New Battery?
Typically, a car will not start even with a new battery because the battery was not correctly installed or the cables and connectors of the battery are damaged. Plus, the alternator or starter of the car could be malfunctioning. Or, a bad spark plug can keep the vehicle from starting.
Are you curious to learn more reasons why your car will not start with a new battery? I made a list of factors below, so keep reading!
1. Improperly Installed Battery
Firstly, your issue may not be the battery but the way the new battery was installed.
If the car battery you bought was brand new and does not have any issues, likely, the car battery was improperly installed.
That said, when the car battery is not properly installed, it will not be able to supply energy to your car to start.
2. Incompatible Car Battery
Unfortunately, car batteries are not universal, which means that different car batteries will work better with specific cars.
Further, each car battery will have a certain capacity and size, and sometimes the car battery may only work with specific car models.
For instance, a car battery that works for a regular sedan will likely not be enough to power a large pick-up truck.
Therefore, you need to ensure that your car battery is compatible with your specific car.
3. Faulty Cables
Generally, your car battery will have to work with cables to attach the battery to the car’s starter.
Occasionally, these cables can be faulty, meaning they will not be able to provide a sustainable supply of energy to the car, or they may not give any power.
Therefore, the cables need to be in excellent condition, meaning the cable has to be good to where the cable meets the car’s starter.
4. Defective Starter
Sometimes, the problem may not lie within your car’s cables or the new battery but in your starter.
Typically, you will know if you have a defective starter if your car has power (lights can turn on), yet your car’s engine will not start.
If you try to start the car, you will know it is a defective battery if you hear a growling or grinding noise or no noise.
5. Corrosion On The Connector
Corrosion can occur in the parts of the battery, particularly the connectors and terminal posts, making your car not start even with a new battery.
That said, this is because the battery acid releases hydrogen gases that will eventually cause corrosion on the connectors and terminal posts.
When there is too much corrosion, it can be difficult or impossible for the connectors to work, keeping the car from starting.
6. Malfunctioning Alternator
If you were able to start your car, but the vehicle did not stay on for long, there is a good chance your alternator is at fault.
An alternator is actually the main producer of electricity in your car while your car battery starts your car and offers power when the engine is not on.
So, a malfunctioning alternator can allow your car to start for a short while, but the malfunctioning alternator will not recharge it, causing your vehicle to turn off.
7. Seized Engine
Occasionally, people may think they have a dead battery, but the real issue may be that they have a seized engine.
Usually, you would have to remember the last time your car was on to see if there were symptoms of a failing engine.
For instance, your engine would likely have seized if you heard sounds in the engine, like tapping or knocking, or smelled smoke or something burning.
8. ECM Lost Stored Parameters
The car’s control modules can sometimes lose their calibration and settings when you remove the battery, but this will only apply to certain car models.
However, most car models will not face this issue since most car models do not lose any information once the battery is removed.
If you think this could be your car’s problem, you would need a mechanic to check and recalibrate your car for you.
9. Faulty Ignition Switch
If you have a bad ignition switch, it will be difficult or impossible for you to turn on your car, even with a new battery.
Generally, there will be signs that your ignition switch is becoming worse, with some common examples including:
- The key cannot turn
- The car will not start
- Flickering dashboard
- No noise from the starter motor
- The car might stall
10. Frozen Fuel Lines
If you live in a very cold area, there is a chance that your fuel lines are frozen, meaning the issue will not be with your new car battery.
When your fuel lines are frozen, the fuel will not circulate throughout the engine, meaning your car will not be able to start since there is little to no fuel in the engine.
11. Bad Spark Plug
A spark plug is in charge of igniting a combustion system explosion to help your car start.
Even if you have a new battery in your car, your car will not start if there is a bad spark plug because the engine will not receive the spark it requires.
To know more, you can also read our posts on why your car won’t jump start, why your car is overheating with a new radiator, and why your car floor is wet.
Conclusion
Generally, if your car will not start even if you installed a new battery, chances are the problem is not with your battery.
Usually, other issues can make your car not start despite having a new battery, such as a bad spark plug, an improperly installed battery, faulty cables and connectors, and more.