My power locks and lights won't work and my car won't start, so I'm pretty sure it's the battery that is dead, but the hood was covered with snow, so could it be that the battery is just frozen or something? The front end of my car is still embedded in a snow bank. Should I try to replace the battery or something? What should I do? I'm a girl in college and my daddy is an hour and a half away.
2007-02-15 06:44:43 · 7 answers · asked by chovens 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
First, don't stress too much. This happens all the time.
1. Shovel out the area around the nose of your car, and clean off the hood. You'll need to clear around the car to drive away anyhow.
2. If you have an auto club (AAA, Costco, Sam's, your insurance company?) call them for a "jump start".
3. If you have no auto club, find a nice-looking guy at your school who has a decent car. Ask if he has jumper cables and knows how to use them. Most "gearhead" guys will.
4. Most Campus Security operations have jump start capability. Call them.
5. When you do the jump start, be sure they connect the positive (red) side first. The negative (black) clamp should go NOT on the battery, but on the engine block or a metal bracket. This keeps the usual spark away from the battery area and possible flammable gas near it.
6. Depending on how far gone your battery is, the jumpING vehicle may need to stay connected for 10 minutes or so while idling to get enough power into your battery to get your engine started.
7. Once it does start, make your first stop Sears or another auto service place. Have them clean your battery contacts and test your battery and charging system. If it won't start your car, the most likely causes are corroded connections or a battery that is almost shot so it sorta works OK when warm, but can't do the job when cold. If you can find the nice-looking gearhead above, have him accompany you. Service guys are less likely to attempt to BS guys than coeds. (Sorry, but it's true!)
Good luck!
2007-02-15 06:59:37 · answer #1 · answered by RH Arizona 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your connections could be bad. With all that moisture surrounding the car, it could easily condense in an already corroded connection. I would look at the connections and clean them thoroughly. This means that you will need a wrench to loosen and retighten them. You can use a kitchen scratcher pad to brighten the connecting surfaces. Make sure that they are good and tight. Your battery may have gotten cold - you could take it into the house and allow it to warm up - sometimes this will allow it to "rebound" on power output. You may also need to give it a charge or have someone come by and give you a boost. Your car is cold and requires more cranking amperage when making a cold start, so you may want to have Wal-Mart or some other outlet check your battery for condition. Good luck.
2007-02-15 10:09:35 · answer #2 · answered by Doug R 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, the first thing you should do is to get the snow off the car completely!
The battery does not freeze as such, but with low temperatures, it looses it's capacity quickly. So in fact, you should either catch someone with a starter cable to transfer energy from his/her car to yours - and if that works, you should drive at least a half an hour without turning the engine off. Otherwise you may take the battery out of the car and have it reloaded at a garage - or buy a replacement battery.
2007-02-15 06:59:09 · answer #3 · answered by swissnick 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
sounds p.c. to tried each and all of the familiar fixes. in trouble-free terms difficulty left is that's frozen stable and there is not any longer adequate skill to even turn it over. grew to become into the leap from a working motor vehicle, and did it ever turn over or basically no longer something. via fact inspite of a lifeless/chilly battery, (batteries will freeze adequate to no longer paintings as though they have been lifeless), even with the actuality that it reads the right voltage it has approximately as lots skill as a 'AA' battery. the only difficulty i will think of left to do is take away the battery and recharge it in a heat place, (no longer on your flat) except that's vented. or basically via twist of destiny the water/ice have been given between the connections and pushed them in trouble-free terms a strategies adequate to no longer make touch, uncommon yet can ensue. So verify all your connections. different issues yet much greater uncommon, adequate moisture have been given into the starter and iced up. So perchance place a severe wattage lamp under the engine block, fee battery indoors, then verify all connections once you replace the battery. ultimate of success, and please positioned an addition in right here once you do locate the challenge. i'm curious.
2016-10-02 04:49:49 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ok take battery inside let it warm up for a little while and put it back in and it should be fine. but i would go to wal mart or a parts house and buy a battery maintainer as this will keep the battery warm and ready whenever you need it.
2007-02-15 06:50:32 · answer #5 · answered by mark 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm a dad with a two daughters,i wouldnt like to leave my daughters to fix a problem like that,,when they could just call on me,,(if they didnt,,i'd probably be hurt),,if your dad is an hour and a half away,,,,give him a call,,,,,cos thats what we dads are famous for,,,,"Comin to the rescue"
2007-02-15 06:56:51 · answer #6 · answered by Thunder 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Definately call dad.
2007-02-15 06:51:59 · answer #7 · answered by airstud8265 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋