car wont start - Car Troubleshooting


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Auto Repair Home>> Automotive Repair>> Car Troubleshooting

mikebik
New User

Sep 2, 2017, 12:02 AM

Post #1 of 4 (1585 views)

car wont start	Sign In

2008 Hyundai Elantra 70k
I tried to start my car tonight it was about high 40's and the lights were working on the inside. I would turn to ignition and the lights would cut off with the normal click u hear when its a bad battery. so I did the normal steps to jump it and the battery wouldn't jump I checked connections rev engine waited about 20 to turn it over again and I heard it click I did notice the top and front had a liquid substance darker color coming from battery. is it possibly the battery is so dead that it wont take a jump? I drove it the night before and it was fine. I hope its not the starter thanks

Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Sep 2, 2017, 12:53 AM

Post #2 of 4 (1578 views)

Re: car wont start	Sign In

Quote you "> I would turn to ignition and the lights would cut off with the normal click u hear when its a bad battery.<"
Strong clue of battery cable ends at battery are wrecked, almost no connection or power delivered from battery if good or not. What is this liquid? Don't touch it use white paper towel and see if really black/dark or just appears that way at a glance.

Battery shouldn't lose "liquid" that's inside without a failure of battery itself - WARNING that is strong acid if so!
Any clue how old this battery is? They are marked either clearly or in embossed #s you can find the month and year made could (less likely but possible) still be an original way overdue for a new one even on its third or so by now. IMO + experience dependable life of lead/acid (most are) battery is about 4 years without trauma or having been allowed to go dead or less than that.

What to do: Baking soda will neutralize the acid just FYI. Do so and remove the thing using all care not to bust hold-down parts and find the age if a chance it's OK have it charged and tested. If old get another proper one for it and charge it first. May need new cables or quality only cable ends if corroded beyond re-use if that was acid eats them up.

Use a memory saver if at all possible (ask where you get a battery) and defeat any hood light when taking one out. Note: Negative off first and back on last. Clean up the mess as needed - disposable gloves, baking soda and wipe dry and clean the tray area then rust proof it if salvageable with at least WD-40 type product.

Jumpers will not work many times with a failed battery and most jumpers unable to more than boost one that is low for some reason like left a light on but not totally dead.
The work is probably the clean up and repairs to corroded parts and battery probably cracked or failed somehow. That fixed and known good one back in then you may still have other problems you really can't check till it can at least crank well by itself. Starter isn't necessarily indicated just yet - must know battery is good first,

T

mikebik
New User

Sep 2, 2017, 1:39 AM

Post #3 of 4 (1569 views)

Re: car wont start	Sign In

I bought the battery last year. and the substance is a dark black color that goes from top of battery down to the bottom so somehow the battery failed I will but a battery today and see if it was the issue

Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Sep 2, 2017, 3:15 AM

Post #4 of 4 (1564 views)

Re: car wont start	Sign In

OK - Things that make "car" batteries fail: Overcharging, allowed to go totally dead, trauma even before you got it or during use and plain bad luck.
Remember it's lead/acid not like a "cell phone" lithium ion at all. It's really meant to just start a vehicle and the alternator should be covering electrical use while running and puts right back what it did to crank it to run.

Any parasitic drain or use while engine is off is damaging too.

You should be warranted for that one but it may not end there. I really want to stress cleaning up where it is and lube parts with proper electric grease and prevent common problems from the things - cable ends, hardware and hold-down parts. Spray greases or said WD-40 is thin can get better than that.
Testing for that liquid you see being acid or from something else try to know if it's fooling you and just dead from other reasons or just a connection problem. Acids should react to the baking soda a bit. Good grief - DO NOT GET ON CLOTHES AND #1 DO NOT ALLOW IN EYES!!!! It might smell like a rotten egg around it would be actively making hydrogen is explosive.
Just use care knowing what you are dealing with. What you find already said AFTER this is back to fixed with just what you see then you can know and test for maybe a cause or damage to the car but it begins with a known good, charged up battery,

T

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