Thursday, January 19, 2012

Is it normal for a car battery to die without warning?

I have a 2003 Taurus. I went to a garage sale today and when I got back in the car the battery was dead. Would not make any noise at all when I turned the key. Tried jumping it but could not get it to start. Took battery to auto parts store, their machine said it was bad so I bought a new one. Car started fine with new battery. Is it most likely the battery, or do you think it might be something else?Is it normal for a car battery to die without warning?
batteries die like that all the time, its normal,id rather one went like that as start going out slowly,at least this way you know what it was that happened to it,but yes it happens all the time i own a shop and i see this at least two times a week if not more,age and constant use causes most batteries to go bad,you should be ok on the new battery for a while good luck with it.
your welcome.

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Is it normal for a car battery to die without warning?
When a cell goes bad in a car battery it's the end. It can happen suddenly like a light bulb burning out. The average life of a car battery (despite any guaranty's or warranties) is about 3 - 4 years.
It could be the battery, but the Taurus is famous for blowing fuses in the main power buss.Is it normal for a car battery to die without warning?
maybe....

but after u change the battery..please ask workshop guy to check your alternator....maybe problem come from alternator..
It was probably the battery. The same thing happened to me, and it was the battery. After a certain point, the battery won't even make the motor try to turn over. No lights come on. Nothing happens. Sometimes this does happen without warning (hard to start, etc).
Check the starter connections at the starter for looseness. I have seen many Taurus' have loose starter connections. It is possible for a battery to be fine one minute and have an internal short the next, but it is more likely that the starter itself is starting to fail.
Yes batteries can just go bad that quickly. Sounds like one of the cells went bad.
It happened to me once. Why I'm not sure, but I had the car checked and indeed it was the battery
Yes. The new "maintenance free" batteries tend to die without warning. They work great until they are dead. I think I liked to ones better that would give you a little warning, even though you did have to check the water level occasionally.
Could be the alternator. When you turn your car off make sure you turn everything off (example: Lights)
Batteries have a definite life span, and when they go, the do it pretty quickly.
Yes . Sometimes they will not take a jump or hold a charge. I generally replace battery's every 3 years. Battery life is effected by what part of the country you live in . Extreme weather will shorten the life in any battery . Cold Winter , Hot Summer , Etc........
Yep, battery. Else the alternator isn't properly charging the battery. If your new battery runs down quickly, you'll know it's the alternator.
You should get a battery pack and keep that around. They have very portable ones that you can keep in the trunk and jump your car through your cigarette lighter if you ever have this problem.. They have stuff like this at Target for $20.



Chances are your battery was getting worn out, but if you had something like this, you'd have more time to figure out if it was actually the battery or another electrical problem or if something just got wet / shorted out.



P.S. if you unhook your battery and leave it alone for a day, sometimes it will 'repair' itself. This has happened to me several times. Be careful when doing this though, you'll need insulating gloves, goggles are a good idea, and you definately do not want to be grounded.
Yep, very common for cells to go bad suddenly.
it might of been on its last days it still drans when not in use :)
Yes it is possible. I had my car battery replaced last year after a five year period. Most car batteries have 4-5 years of living. That what they told me at the garage.
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  • How long does it take to charge a car battery?

    I havent used my car for a couple months and the batterys gone dead so i borrowed my friends car battery charger and let it charge overnight and its still not charged?How long does it take to charge a car battery?
    It's probably one of those cheap **** chargers. You might be better off attempting to get a jumpstart and let it run for a while.
    Mad Jack is right about taking longer for a badly discharged battery. Also most portable "Home type" chargers are only trickle chargers and take forever on a badly discharged battery. If it doesn't come up in a bit longer try taking it somewhere where they have a full service charger that can do first a high level charge then a taper charge to finish up. Further, if the battery was connected to the system the entire time it may be so far discharged that it's no longer serviceable and needs to be replaced. If you know you aren't going to drive for several months it's best to remove the negative lead from the battery.How long does it take to charge a car battery?
    The battery should be fully charged after 8 hours. The battery could be defective. I would suggest that you make sure that the battery charger is properly connected and that it is making a good connection.



    The simplest method for checking your connection is to use the headlights.



    First, turn on the headlights before you connect the battery charger. They should be very dim or not working at all if the battery is completely dead.



    Next connect the battery charger and turn it on. (It will probably spark right when you connect it, that is normal, however, if it continues to spark or starts smoking, unplug the battery charger from the wall outlet)



    If the headlights come on or get brighter when the charger comes on, you know that you have a good connection. If this is the case, turn the headlights back off and let the battery charge for a few hours.



    If the lights do not get brighter, then you have another problem, such as a defective charger, bad connection, or bad battery. Be sure your battery cables are snugly connected to the battery and free of corrosion, as the battery cable connection is probably the most common cause of cranking issues.



    Sorry I wrote you a book, but hopefully it will help.
    Typical car battery holds 70 amp-hours, and typical small lunchbox sized charger is 10 amps, so 7 hours. A bit longer due to inefficiency. Check your charger and do the math. If you have one of those tiny cigarette pack sized 1 amp trickle chargers, might be longer, you guessed it, 70 hours :)



    You don't need to fully charge the battery to start the car. As long as it starts, once it's started it will recharge the battery.



    How old is the battery? Lead-acid car batteries tend to wear out after about 5 years give or take. If it's older, it may just be shot and need replacing.



    Make sure you're charging it properly, i.e. the ammeter shows a strong charge at first and then tapers off.



    Make sure the area you're doing this is well ventilated. Batteries put out hydrogen gas when charging, especially if the battery is worn out. If you think that gas might have accumulated, don't do anything to make a spark, i.e. don't unhook the charger. Ventilate the room to outside.How long does it take to charge a car battery?
    Can you pop off the maintenance caps? Can you see the fluid level inside? If low, top up with distilled water. If you trickle charged it for a long period, and it's still no good, have it professionally load tested. Conventional car batteries dislike being fully discharged. Your battery may be toast.
    If the battery has completely failed, it may not take a charge.



    The amount of time it takes to charge an automotive battery depends on how discharged the battery is, the amperage rating of the battery, and the charging rate of the battery charger you are using.



    Many of the new fully automatic electronic battery chargers will not charge a battery if it is bad. If the battery is too dead or fails initial tests this type of battery charger will switch to desulfation mode. In this mode it will send high frequency electronic pulses through the battery plates to remove sulfur deposits. Then it will attempt to charge the battery. If the charger still detects problems with the battery it will not charge the battery and a fail light will illuminate on the battery charger. If the battery is good it will take about 8 to 10 hours to fully charge the battery and this type of automatic battery charger will stop charging so the battery is not over charged.



    If you use a older style manual or automatic battery charger it will still take some time to charge a battery. As a very general amount a time it will take about 8 to 10 hours to fully charge a car battery with a 10 amp automotive battery charger.
    Yes, take it off and try it. You've got nothing to loose....



    Without knowing how many amps you are using here



    it's hard to say how long. Even a slow 2 amp charger should



    have brought it back enough to start the car.



    Go for it...
    Depends on how many amps the charger puts out. 2amp charger, may take well over a day. 10amp should charge overnight.
    It should take a few hours for it to get a good charge.

    What kind of car battery does a 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse use?

    I need to buy a new car battery and I have no idea how to choose one. Cheap is preferable. It's a GS, not GT. Is there a specific size?What kind of car battery does a 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse use?
    Look at the battery. If your buying one, you have to go to the store, an auto parts store will usually tell you what you need and even test it and replace/install it if necessary. FOR FREE! (install %26amp; check it for free, you still have to buy it)
    Yes if you tell the nice man behind the counter make engine size. he will tell you which batt you req personly cheap is not the best to go for,if you can aheavy duty is best and will work out cheaper in the end.What kind of car battery does a 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse use?
    Yes, there will be a specific size group for the battery. Wherever you buy it (unless you buy a used one from somebody) will have a chart with the correct size group for your car.
    Yes, there will be a specific size group for the battery. Wherever you buy it (unless you buy a used one from somebody) will have a chart with the correct size group for your car.What kind of car battery does a 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse use?
    a square 1 ! just kidding. just ask the parts man where you buy it at and they will know what you need.

    If a cold car battery is hard to start. Can I use a blow dryer or heater to warm it up some?

    Living in a cold climate, my car is hard to start in the winter. Can I use a hair dryer or small heater to heat the battery up and would that help start a cold engine?If a cold car battery is hard to start. Can I use a blow dryer or heater to warm it up some?
    Yes you can. But using a hair dryer would take a very long time due to the materials and density of a battery. You can buy an electric battery blanket. Just plug it in like a block heater at night, and it keeps the battery warm. Doesn't draw that much electricity either.If a cold car battery is hard to start. Can I use a blow dryer or heater to warm it up some?
    yes it will actually help it to start better ,but your going to get really cold in the process,you can put the battery in a battery box and insulate it really well and that will also help it,but yes i have used a hair drier before,it does work.good luckIf a cold car battery is hard to start. Can I use a blow dryer or heater to warm it up some?
    You could but I would NOT recommend it.

    If the Hairdryer should spark, you'll end up BLOWING up the battery due to the explosive gases batteries give off. Very Dangerous to try.

    The battery blanket might work, or you might consider a dipstick crankcase warmer to keep the engine oil thin and the engine will turn easier.

    Is it safe to leave a car battery on a 10 amp charger after it has reached its maximum capacity?

    I bought a new battery for a car, and then I moved to another country for a year. Now I'm back and I'm trying to see if the battery is salvageable. I'm reading its going to take many more hours than normal dead battery circumstances to put a descent charge on it. I'm wondering if I can just forget about it for a day and not worry about causing a fire in the garage. I have a 10 amp charger.Is it safe to leave a car battery on a 10 amp charger after it has reached its maximum capacity?
    No, it's not safe at all, overcharging a lead acid battery presents all kind of dangers, once the battery has reached maximum capacity a trickle charger should be used, less then 1amp.Is it safe to leave a car battery on a 10 amp charger after it has reached its maximum capacity?
    it will be safe. make sure however, that the area is well ventilated.Is it safe to leave a car battery on a 10 amp charger after it has reached its maximum capacity?
    2 amp would be better.

    How much nickel is mined for one hybrid car battery?

    I am curious to know how much nickel is mined for the average hybrid car battery? I've heard hybrids toted as the solution, but nickel is a finite resource which must be mined. As I understand it the batteries are extremely heavy composed of mostly nickel.How much nickel is mined for one hybrid car battery?
    I don't know the answer to your question. However, gasoline is also a finite resource which must be extracted from the Earth, and hybrids save on gasoline. Additionally, in a few years hybrids will replace nickel-metal hydride batteries with lithium-ion technology. And finally, hybrid batteries are fully recycleable:



    "Toyota has a comprehensive battery recycling program in place and has been recycling nickel-metal hydride batteries since the RAV4 Electric Vehicle was introduced in 1998. Every part of the battery, from the precious metals to the plastic, plates, steel case and the wiring, is recycled. To ensure that batteries come back to Toyota, each battery has a phone number on it to call for recycling information and dealers are paid a $200 "bounty" for each battery."
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  • How to charge a car battery OUT of the car?

    OK...how do I charge a car battery if it is outside of the car? This is the type of batter that does not have the 'posts' coming out of it (you have to screw in the connectors in the car). Since most car chargers/trickle chargers come with clamps only...how can I do this? I live in an apartment complex so an extension cord going down the stairs will be dangerous and not allowed. Thanks!How to charge a car battery OUT of the car?
    Well, you can get two bolts that thread into the side posts of the battery and connect the charger jumpers to the bolts. It will make a connection that way and charge.
    you'll have to connect with a special charging unit to an a/c wall outlet, no two ways about. I doubt your landlord is going to let you tap into the building's supply, so you can carry it upstairs and do it inside your apt.How to charge a car battery OUT of the car?
    I allways used a bolt but you still get most clamps to grab good enough for a low amp charge.
    take it to auto zone or any car parts store and they should be able to charge the battery for you FOR FREE!!! Find 2 bolts that can fit in the side post.and hook clamps to it.How to charge a car battery OUT of the car?
    It' not normally the best way, but you can take battery into your apartment. Find some bolts that will screw into the battery terminals that match the threads (or the bolts from the battery cables). Use a trickle charger and clamp onto the bolts and leave it overnight. I suggest that you keep the battery away from any flame or fire souce (furnace). And use gloves to carry it and make sure you have good footing so as to not drop it. Make sure you set the battery on the floor and there is a dropcloth or something to protect the floor (in case of leakage- which there is none usually).
    Find the proper size of bolt that screws into the battery and and clamp the charger to the bolts. If you're inside, be sure to have plenty of ventilation.
    You obviously have a G.M. product. Just get a couple of bolts to screw into the posts and clamp on them. Or twist and pry the bolts you have out of the plastic ends of the cables. Ain't that hard
    You can try using bolt and nuts to screw in as posts.