Engine dead or battery issue?

Question

Ok, so help me out please guys! I'm kind of car-retarded.

My fiance' told me mos. back that the engine had died on my car. I trusted his decision until today when I decided to try my luck and see if the car started.

I noticed that the lights wouldn't even turn on the car. Could this have been a dead battery issue and not the engine? I just thought that the lights ran off the battery not the engine.

Any help would be really appreciated! Please don't be mean - I just have no clue about this stuff!

Answer 1

Take the battery to a nearest parts store and have them load test and check it, if possible, get a good battery that is charged and try starting the engine. If it spins over, your doing good from the start. The engine could just have any problem ranging from starting/charging, fuel problem, timing problem, or even ECM problems. A lot of these problems can be simple fixes like fuses or other components.

Answer 2

I'm afraid that the only way to diagnose the problem now is to install a good battery, and see if it will start. Make sure some gasoline is present,(hey, some mech's pass by this step too!), and make sure the oil in the car is up to the ADD mark on the dipstick, at least. I wonder if some friend, will let you borrow their battery, out of their car temporarily, just to test. Good preliminary diagnosis on the headlight thing. Lights do run off of the battery, the whole car does. The battery is charged back up thru the charging system when the engine is running. Feel free to email if you have any further questions.

Answer 3

Sounds like a battery issue, since the lights don't come on at all. The first thing you should do is take your battery to autozone, they will charge it for free(assuming its still good).

However, you said it's been moths, so you should check the oil too. If it's been sitting as long as you say, the engine is probably shot too.

If you get it running take it to a mechanic and get the car looked over and see if it would be worth it to make the repairs or sell it for parts.

Answer 4

First of all, you need to have the battery charged or replaced. Take it to auto zone and get it charged. After that, reinstall the battery and try to crank the engine. You may also get a can of starting fluid and spray some into the air filter, just to help you get it going, since it has been sitting for months. Good luck with it.

Answer 5

If the car died and let sit for a while, it is normal for the battery to die. However, if you have dead battery, the vehicle won't start.
I would suggest to you that you get your battery charged, and try to to start the car. If it starts, then you are wrong for trusting your fiance until today

Answer 6

If you have no horn, cigarett lighter or front lights more than likely the battery is dead.
Go ahead and put jumper cables and let sit for about 10 min. and then see if you have lights. If you do, keep the jumpers on for about another 15 min. especailly if the battery was stone dead, then see if the engine turns over. Let me know what happens. you can e-mail me and I will walk you through the diagnosis.

Sincerely yours,
Fred M. Hunter
[e-mail]

Answer 7

your best bet is to take the battery to Autozone for a free charge, put the charged battery in the car and if that doesn't work it must be your engine.

Answer 8

you said its been months so the battery is most likely dead now but that doesnt mean the engine isnt shot too

Answer 9

no lights..dead battery..especially if the engine doesn't do anything.