I was jump starting a car and had the (-) on the bad battery and the other (-) grounded to the good car. After I switched them The car started and I drove it a few blocks but there was a cop and the plates are expired so it was only about 10 min. Then the car wouldn't restart. It is a 2004 and hasn't been driven in months, owner is in Iraq. Did I hurt something, or does it need charged more?
2006-07-22 06:55:06 · 10 answers · asked by Bandit 3 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
You sound like you hooked it up correctly. You would have seen sparks and there is no way the car would have started if you had it hooked up backwards. The battery is just dead and will not take a charge. Once a battery goes completely down, it will almost certianly be bad. Especially if it stays down for a length of time. Get a battery for it and it will be fine.
2006-07-22 07:02:20 · answer #1 · answered by crazytrain_23_78 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you want to keep driving, I suggest you don't do it. You will kill the battery from the car you are jumping it from. What you should have done was turn the car on at least once a week so that the altenator can keep the battery charged. You are going to have to buy a new battery. There is no way around it.
When you connect the cables, make sure they match up. Pos to pas and geg to neg. On the 2nd car, make sure you connect the NEG 1st and then the pos. You can give yourself a scare if you do it the other way around.
And another thing, whoever gave you the car to keep, should have given you the right to renew the plates. You need to talk to them and let them know what happened.
2006-07-22 14:00:12 · answer #2 · answered by Mistress T 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If it was an old battery then it could have gone bad, possibility of toasting the alternator (slim chance though), fuse could have blown (slim possibility)
If it wouldnt restart after immediately turning it off I would say a bad battery and buy a new one. If there was a little time span before you tried to restart it then put a battery charger on it and let it charge
2006-07-22 14:09:29 · answer #3 · answered by rockydriver22 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think you did anything wrong. As long as you connect the red (live) on one battery to the red on the other, and black to black, you cannot cause any problem. Do not cross them. If the 'flat' battery is any good, if you drive it for about half an hour, the battery should be recharged. Do it during daylight hours, as you will not need lights, keep the in-car cooling system and as many other electrical items off during this half hour drive. Alternatively you can get yourself a 'battery charger' and charge it overnight...........
2006-07-22 14:06:05 · answer #4 · answered by thomasrobinsonantonio 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Either needs to be charged more or the battery has failed. Pull it out and take to Auto Zone or Pep Boys or Kragen and they will test for free and if it just need a charge they will charge it, also free. also have the battery cable connections cleaned, as any corrosion will cause resistance to electrical flow and will result in a car not starting.
2006-07-22 14:02:39 · answer #5 · answered by gary o 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if the car started you were hooked up right if you connect backwards the battery will explode when you have the car started take your positive (red) cable off of your battery if the car stays running your battery is bad if your car shuts off it is you alternater that is bad yes i am a mechanic
2006-07-22 14:09:13 · answer #6 · answered by firefightingexpert 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you had the negative to both of them you should have been ok since it started.
If you had the polarity reversed you would have had a shower of sparks.
The battery is probably dead. A good mechanic can figure it out in a minute.
2006-07-22 14:00:34 · answer #7 · answered by beedaduck 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you may have blown the fuse to the alternator and that is the only thing every thing else will survive
the alternator will be fine that is what the fuse is there for
battery needs to charge 2 hours to test
any part store can test for you
2006-07-22 13:59:47 · answer #8 · answered by mobile auto repair (mr fix it) 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It needs a new battery.
2006-07-22 14:14:12 · answer #9 · answered by paulofhouston 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
probably needs a new battery. if you connect both leads up backwards you'll fry alternator.
connect + to + first and - to - or red /red, black/ black
2006-07-22 13:58:45 · answer #10 · answered by 1crazypj 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋