Car Parts Faqs

Car battery!!!? I drained my car battery because my alternator was going out. I did not know my alternator was bad, and i was running off my battery totally. Can I charge it or get a "jump" to get it up and running again or do I need a new one?

Does the car battery completely drain if the car is not used for 3 months? I will be out of town for about three months. I was wondering what to do with my car. Someone told me that the car battery will completely drain and I need to get a replacement when I come back. Any comments? BTW my car is 2000 toyota camry v6.

Can a car battery die when you are driving? I have a 2000 Honda Civic that I am only planning on having for a few more months, six months tops.I got my oil changed yesterday, and they told me my battery was very low,it was reading 12.7 volts, & the little blue light on the battery wasnt shining.There was alot of corrosion on the terminals, so I had them clean them, could that help?The car starts right up for me every time, I never have any problems.Since I am planning on getting a new car within 6 months, I dont want to put any money into my current one, I am basically driving it until it dies, it has 204,000 miles on it.I am hesitant to buy a new battery, because like I said, my car starts right up every time, its not like the engine turns over slowly and barely starts up, it always starts right up, even when it is really cold out.Will I have some warning before it is really ready to die (e.g., barely starts in the morning) or could it just die when I am driving and my car stops working?Any advice appreciated!

How to use car battery or any other battery to lighten the tubelight? How to use car battery or any other battery to lighten the tubelight at home? Or is there any other means to lighten the tube light using battery?

My car battery is dead, how long should i let my car run to charge the battery? My car has been off the road for quite some time. It runs great, but the battery died, i jumped started it, let it run about 10-15 minutes, the inspection is up so i cant run the car on the road, but i did drive it around my parking lot for a few minutes. I shut it off, i started it right back up, shut it off again, and then tried to restart it a second time, but it did not restart, so i have it running now, how long should i let it run to charge the battery fully. I am getting it inspected tomorrow, and i do not want to get stranded at VIP, because it wont start. Thanks!

Can I attach a car battery to an electric fence wire just by the leads? The battery pack I got for an electric fence doesn't have room for a car battery in it and it isn't rechargeable. It seems to me more sensible to get a car battery. Can I just attach this to the wire with leads? Do I have to cover it in some way to protect from rain? Thanks Thanks for answering. Oh I see, of course, it has to have a pulse!! I am not sure if I can connect it with original box.

How long does a car battery last? I live in the cold northern part of the country and I need a good strong battery to start my car on really cold mornings. My car is five years old and has the original battery in it. I wondered if I should replace this battery, but I don't want to waste the money if it's not necessary.

What battery powered car can go the farthest on one charge? How far will it go on one charge? What battery powered car can go the farthest on one charge? How far will it go on one charge? Somebody was making fun of John McCain (one of the Republican presidential candidates) for saying he thinks we can have an electric car (battery powered) that goes 100 miles on one charge by the election. Just from my imperfect memory, I though battery powered cars could already do that. Am I right, or was I fantasizing?

How much car battery and gas does it waste? If I turn my car on to shoot hoops for an hour or something and have the doors open to listen to music do I have to worry about killing the battery and my uncle said to always keep the car on when you listen to music and never just in the battery mode because it will drain your battery. So do I have to worry about draining the battery and how much gas does it waste in idle for an hour?

How long to charge my car battery and how? I recently left my lights on for about 5 hours on my 94 Saturn and killed the battery. I got a jump and drove up the street to the grocery store, ran in for 20 minutes, and it wouldn't start. I was wondering about how long I would need to leave the car running to make sure that after the next jump, if I park it overnight, it will start the next morning. Battery is about 3 years old. Also, do I need to actually be driving or can I just have the car running? Will it charge the battery either way?

What is the best switch to connect a 2nd battery in parallell with battery on car for emergency jumps? My car keeps draining batteries like crazy. Dealer can't fix it and it's not worth spending too much money on an old car. My solution is to connect a second battery (stationed in the trunk) via wires to the actual battery in the car and put a switch somewhere on my dashboard so that when I need to turn the car on i can switch the trunk battery on and basically jump the car without taking out the jumper cables. Does anyone know what specifications the wire and/or the switch need to work best with the 12V car battery? Or any switch with an On/Off position will do? What about the cable? Is any material better than others? Any help will be appreciated!

Can a car battery be damaged if left uncharged? I own a 1996 Ford Explorer, and it's battery died two days ago when I left the lights on. If I leave the car battery uncharged for a few more days, will it be damaged? And, I have jumper cables, what do I need to do to jump it from another vehicle?

How does an alternator charge a car battery? I want to make a windmill to charge a car battery. How does an alternator in a car do it? How does the car take the AC coming out of the alternator and make it dc at the appropriate voltage and current to charge it and what is the appropriate voltage and current to charge a car battery? Any help would be appreciated.

How long does a car battery charger take to fully charge a battery? My car broke down on me again and we’ve been charging the battery on an external charger for a couple of hours now so we can see if it was the battery or my alternator. I was just wondering if that’s typical or not for the charge to take so long.

What would cause a car battery to gradually discharge over 2-3 days? Basically I can always start the engine using my portable battery booster, and the battery does recharge as I drive my car since I can restart the engine normally after a short while (depending on how much I drove). However the battery does gradually discharge, and I must use the booster again if I wait more than 3-4 days. Would this be a battery problem, or something else like the alternator (although the battery does recharge, and the car runs well once boosted)? Thank you.

Why did my car battery start to leak battery acid? My dealer found that the battery was leaking excessively on my 07 mazda6s. They were forced to replace a brand new battery. My question is, what caused my car's battery to start leaking acid at high quantities?? The car is not old at all by any means. i bougt it brand new in 2007. Anything i can do to prevent this from happening again?

Car I charge a car battery with a charger when it is still connected to my car? OK I know this is a dumb question but I am totally clueless when it comes to cars!! My battery is flat - I cannot get it to start with jumps leads so the only option is to charge it with a battery charger which I have. Now, I cannot take the battery out so is it possible to charge the battery without disconnecting it from the car? Thanks in advance!

What is causing my car battery light to come on and inside lights start to flicker? Noticed sometimes after turning engine off, nothing happens as in car wont start. Mechanic computer checked car and found something stuck (whatever the hell that means). Car worked for about a week and then battery light came back on, inside lights flicker.

How many amps should a car battery be at? I have a 2001 VW Passat and the battery suddenly died. I have had a charger running on the battery for the last 4 hours. The charger is showing that the battery is only at 1.5 amps. Is that normal? How many amps do I have to let the charger get up to until the car will have enough juice to turn over? It is a 6 amp charger and the battery is about 4 years old.

Is it okay to jump start a car with another car which has a new battery? I need to jump start my car, but my friend won't let me use his car's battery, claiming that: He recently replaced his car battery with a new one. He's been told that a new battery should not be used to jump start another battery for the first year of the new battery's use (I hope that made sense). So, is my friend making up facts or is this true?

Can a bad car battery cause a running car to die even if the alternator is good? While trying to start my car one day I found that the battery appeared completely dead and the car would not start and no electronics would come on. I had someone jumpstart the car and it ran fine for about 10 minutes and then died completely again. During this 10 minutes the inside lights were flickering. I figured that the alternator was bad, but after trying a new battery first the car seems to be running fine. I was wondering if a bad battery can cause a car that is running to die even if the alternator and other electrical components are fine.

How do I keep my car battery from draining overnight? If I detach the car battery terminal cables at night and re-attach them in the morning the car starts fine. But if I leave the battery 'connected' as usual it goes dead overnight. Somehow it's 'draining' when attached. How do I find out what the problem is and how do I fix it? Thanks!

When jumpstarting a car, does it depleat the other cars battery? Only asking because my b/f has something wrong with his car battery, it often won't start. He is working away and coming back at the weekends, and every Sunday he has to use jump leads to start his car on the drive, and again at the petrol station after turning the engine off to get petrol. He has a new beetle turbo, and I have a renault clio 1.2. He says it doesn't do damage to my battery but I disagree, can any one clarify? Thanks.

What is the most efficient car battery for an electric car conversion? I am considering converting my car to electric for commuting. Can someone tell what battery is the most effective for this purpose, how much they cost, and if a hybrid battery for the Prius is available to the public?

How long can a car battery power a 15 watt stereo via a cigarette lighter? I have a 15 watt stereo, and planned on plugging it into my car's 12v DC cigarette outlet. I was wondering if this is a good idea, or if it will drain my battery. Also, how long would it be able to last without affecting the battery?

Should I disconnet my car battery for long periods of inactivity? I have a car that I will not be using for a month. The car will be outside in the cold. Should I disconnect the battery?

How much does a car battery usually cost? I know you can tell me exactly how much, but around average how much should a car battery cost. I have a 98 ford escort and the battery is dying.

Does a car battery need both terminals occupied to work? I've been troubleshooting some power issues with my car's amplifier. I got a second battery and hooked it up, but I could only get power when I used both the positive and ground from the new battery. I couldn't use the positive from one battery and the ground from another, or vice versa. Is this normal?

Is it illegal to have a car battery well-secured and inside a cargo box on the roof of your car? I'm planning to install a power inverter in my minivan with a long long battery life so I can run an air conditioner and stuff with the car turned off. This will give me more room inside and also keep away the hydrogen gas which builds up during battery charging which is explosive. Any suggestions are welcome as well. Thank you kindly.

How long does it take a car battery to be charged completely? I don't use my car very often nowadays and I want to keep the battery alive. Everyday I start the car leave it on for 10-15 minutes then drive for another 10-15 minutes. Also if the battery goes dead are there any chargers I can buy?

How long should a car battery last with the stereo on? I'm looking for a ballpark figure, nothing exact. I'm wondering approximately how long I can have my car stereo on with my engine off without draining the battery down too far. I have an aftermarket CD player which is 17 watts RMS per channel (45 maximum). I don't have any amplifiers or subwoofers hooked up.

How to check a car battery with a Multimeter? Hi, How exactly do you do the above, does the battery have to be connected to the car or disconnected, does it need to be fully charged? Thanks in advance.

How do you pass battery current from one car to another? Can anyone explain to me how to use the car battery cables? What to connect with what? In which order? How can I prevent from damaging the car's computer?

How long would a car battery last running a xbox 360 and a TV? How long would a parked car last running an xbox 360 and a TV through the cigarette lighter? How fast would the battery die?

My Car battery has completely drained from sitting too long, so i put in a new battery and now nothing works.? My Car battery has completely drained from sitting too long, so i put in a new battery and now nothing works. Everything used to work just fine until the battery drained. Windows, A/c, radio, power seats, etc.. What is the issue? By the way, I have a '99 Lexus es300 Response to question below: The battery is brand new and full. The battery model is the same as my other car, and when I put the battery in the other car it works just fine.

what are the reasons for a car battery to discharge overnight ? My car was running perfect until today when i was about to leave it wouldnt start and i think the battery is low in power. What could be the reasons that causes a battery to discharge overnight? It was running ok yesterday and i have not had any problem so far.

How can I tell if my car battery is maintence free? The battery in my car is about two years old. If I wanted to add water I would have to pry off the two top sections with a screw driver. Does this mean my battery is maintenance free?

I want to buy a car battery charger for my ice cream truck. Do you know how long the charge takes? I bought an inverter for the chest freezer in my ice cream truck. The battery didn't stay charged more than 4 hours. I need to buy a car battery charger and another battery to keep it charged up. I was looking at a 2/6/10 amp charger. About how long would it take to charge one battery? I want a quick cheap one.

Does putting a Car Battery on cement drain it? For years I've been told not to put a car battery down on a bare concrete floor. That it would drain the battery and somehow damage it's rechargeability (sp). Is this true or an old wives tale?

What is the best way to keep a car battery charged? I recently bought a used 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme a year ago and it's been a very dependable car. In April, however, I didn't drive the car for more than three days and when I went to start it, the battery was dead. There is no corrosion on the battery itself and it appears to be in good condition, yet it might be a little weak. What can I do?

What is the cost of a car battery for a 1997 Honda Accord? Is there a good web site on researching reasonable prices for car parts. The place where I've dropped off my car has quoted me $110 or so for the battery. I know it takes not more than 10-15 minutes to install one, so, that means, they will probably charge me around $150-200 for the work and the battery. Is that too much? How much should I be paying if I buy a battery on my own at say Walmart or some reasonably place store?

How long will it take to drain a car battery if you leave the lights on? I left the lights on and after 4 hours the car was completlly dead. Someone told me that my battery must be week, because it usually takes longer, Does anyone know how long a cars battery will usually last if you leave the lights on?

Is there any other way to charge a car battery besides Jump Start? Actually, I drive a 1997 VW GTi VR6. Sometimes, I have to go to other countries for a few months and my car battery runs out every time. I cannot get my car to start. Is there any way that I can deal with this situation all by myself? Buying a battery chargers? What kind? How many voltage? Thanks!

How can I prevent relays from discharging my car battery? I have a 2005 dodge caravan with dvd and remote start/alarm. The battery will discharge enough to not start the car in only 30 minutes if watching a dvd. I think the relays for these accessories are constantly draining the battery because after a few days the battery drains without anything on. I never use the alarm feature.

What is proper procedure for disposing of car battery buildup? I just cleaned off the battery terminal on my car battery (it had some blue-green buildup on the positive terminal), and now i'm left with a container of that stuff mixed with baking soda/water. Is there a proper disposal procedure for that stuff?

Can your car battery dying cause your engine light to come on? I have a 1997 Nissan Sentra GLE. My dome light was left on for over 36 hours and when I jumped my car, my check engine light was on. Could if have just been triggered on because my battery died? It is in great condition and gets regular checks and updates when needed. My oil level is good, to my knowledge. I just had it changed about a month ago and its not due for another for about 1,200 miles or by October something.

How do I charge my car battery? My car has a dead battery. I jumped it yesterday but didn't drive it so it was dead this morning again. I borrowed a battery charger from my neighbor but I've never used one before. Do I leave my battery in the car and just put the clips on the terminals? Or do I have to take the battery out? Do I have to take the terminals off the posts first? My battery is ok because it jumped right away, I just left the key on accidentally (duh!!) Thanks for your help.

Can you get a electric shock from a car battery is the engine is off? I want to change headlights in my car, i will have the cars ignition turned off when i do it, i see wires around, i dont want to get shocked in anyway, can people die from recieving a electric shock from a car battery. With the ignition off or on? Or just on? Thanks, just curious really.

How to get rid of car battery symbol in dash? So I installed a brand new battery for my corolla '95. I did everything right and even cleaned the terminals so I am pretty sure that I did everything right when I installed it. My car started fine and everything but the thing is the symbol to change a new battery still shows up on my dash, so I don't understand whats wrong? Could it be the wiring? Or does the dash need to be somehow reseted so it knows that I did put a new battery?

Is it bad for a car battery to be left out in the cold? I bought a new battery for my car that I am fixing up, and have not used the battery yet, or even hooked it up. It is just sitting under the hood disconnected for the last month.. It has been pretty cold the past month, with 5 or 6 really cold days... Is this bad for the battery?

How long will a brand new car battery run on a completely dead alternator before I risk ruining it? 2000 Nissan Sentra brand new battery. Scheduled to replace alternator tomorrow. How much can I drive today/how many times can I start the car?

At what temperature would a car battery freeze? My car wouldn't start this morning. I downloaded a guide on jumping cars off of the internet and it warned against jumping a frozen car battery saying that it could explode. My car is garage kept and it's about zero degrees out there now. It was -15 yesterday. Should I pay somebody to come jump the car and risk things or should I just do it myself? What temperature would a car battery freeze at?

What happens if I drive my car with no ground connection on the battery? I just noticed that my car battery ground connection came undone and has not been connected for who knows how long, but I havent had any car trouble. What happens without a ground for the battery?

Will the car battery get charged when the car is set idle? I do not drive the car very often. Usually once in a week and only for very short distances (i.e. 3 miles or so). Lately, I need a jump start to get the car started and the mechanics say I do not need battery change either. The prescription is to drive the car once in a while for 40 minutes or so. I also heard AAA people saying starting the car and set the car idling will do which means I do not even need to drive it around to get the battery charged. Is it true? Many thanks.

What would cause a car battery to corrode quickly? The positive cables attached to my car battery corrode so fast I have to clean them at least once a month. Does this mean the battery is bad? The positive cables attached to my car battery corrode so fast I have to clean them at least once a month. Does this mean the battery is bad? EDIT: One other thing I just remembered. The positive post on the battery actually appears to be bent slightly although the bend appears to happen outside the battery, not inside. Because of this I have a hard time getting a good connection between the post and the cable. The battery has been dying this week so perhaps a new battery would help.

Has any one had a problem after charging a jumpstart battery in their car? After I used tryed to charge my jump start battery in my car using a 12v plug, the car no longer charges my car battery. Did my alternator died out? When I used the battery on another car it worked fine. Is it bad for a car to charge a jump start battery while driving? ** I didn't ahve a charger to charge it in my house so i tryed in the car. I also need help findign this on forums

How can you tell if your car battery is a negative or positive grounded post system? I am trying to charge a battery in my car with an electrical charger and want to make sure I am hooking it up right. Thanks

How can I jump start my car battery without asking someone for a jump? My car won't start. Can I jump start it with like a 9v battery or something? Help Please!! Thanks! It's an automatic transmission, by the way.

How long should a car battery last for? I have a 1994 Vauxhall Astra, and I've had the battery for a few years. How long do car batteries last for

How do you connect a subwoofer cable to the car battery?? Hi, I've never installed a sound system in a car and I have a powered sub but I don't know how to hook the big cable to the car battery's positive terminal. The end of the cord is a flat circle, looks kind of like a washer, and the connector for the battery is obviously not, its a cylindrical ring. Am I even asking the right question? They do connect right? They are different shapes, so how to they match up? Any other tips on routing the cable through the engine would also be appreciated, thanks everyone.

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!