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-   -   Car doesn't start... it's not the battery...I think (http://www.the370z.com/engine-drivetrain/97877-car-doesnt-start-its-not-battery-i-think.html)

white_wolf 11-03-2014 01:51 PM

Car doesn't start... it's not the battery...I think
 
Help please!

The situation:
- car doesn't start (video included)
- car sat for 1.5 weeks (neglect..I know...I'm sorry, I was on vacation)
- I tried jump starting the car... no avail (what happens?...same thing on the video)
- window doesn't go back to "up/in" position after door is closed
- when not connected to jump-start machine-thing, the dome lights are dim
- I can get into "on" mode, but double din doesn't start up

Notes:
- entirely possible I've been jump starting cars wrong all these years... I recently checked youtube/co-workers and apparently I didn't know you had to let the good car run/idle for a bit before starting the "dead" car... I normally hooked the two bastards up and fired up the dead car.... in my defense, it worked everytime...except on my car. -_-

- I tried putting the fob in the "fob-gina" to start the car...with no avail. I have not tried using a new battery in my key fob.

- In the video I used a friend's emergency jump-start machine-thing he bought from Costco. According to this device, the battery is good and "ready".

Please help me! Car is pissed with me for leaving on vacation. -_-

6MT-Z34 11-03-2014 01:54 PM

steering lock maybe? :ugh2:

ANMVQ 11-03-2014 01:57 PM

Sounds like dead battery, I just changed mine on my 09, Same thing happened to me couldn't jump it either :/.
but you should always let the charging car run for a while 3-5 mins maybe depending, You can also try bypassing the batter by using the pos term on the battery and the frame for the ground cable ? I have had that work before.

white_wolf 11-03-2014 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6MT-Z34 (Post 3020630)
steering lock maybe? :ugh2:

It better not be... I had Nissan "fix" it under recall. XD

Quote:

Originally Posted by ANMVQ (Post 3020631)
Sounds like dead battery, I just changed mine on my 09, Same thing happened to me couldn't jump it either :/.
but you should always let the charging car run for a while 3-5 mins maybe depending, You can also try bypassing the batter by using the pos term on the battery and the frame for the ground cable ? I have had that work before.

Hmm.. I will try that.

1slow370 11-03-2014 03:07 PM

As ANMVQ said jumps should ALWAYS be done with the positve on the battery and the neative on a good ground like the timing cover, and you should let the target vehicle charge for a few minutes before starting it. It helps to rev the good vehicle to 2k-2.5k to get the alternator pumping out full amps. Cables can only move 70-100amps so if there isn't enough charge in the target battery it is still going to be hard to jump.

MJB 11-03-2014 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1slow370 (Post 3020710)
As ANMVQ said jumps should ALWAYS be done with the positve on the battery and the neative on a good ground like the timing cover, and you should let the target vehicle charge for a few minutes before starting it. It helps to rev the good vehicle to 2k-2.5k to get the alternator pumping out full amps. Cables can only move 70-100amps so if there isn't enough charge in the target battery it is still going to be hard to jump.

Good point. Most people think you are supposed to put the negative cable on the negative post of the dead battery.... ummm wrong!

MacCool 11-03-2014 05:34 PM

Your car should be fine sitting for 1.5 weeks. You can't check a battery without load testing it, but it sounds like it's shot. I'd just go get a new one.

SouthArk370Z 11-03-2014 07:08 PM

I'd clean the battery terminals first. If that doesn't fix the problem, it sounds like you need a new battery (or alternator).

As far as hooking up jumper cables:
Hook up the cables to the good battery (go straight to the battery terminals). Place the positive jumper on the positive terminal of the bad battery. Ground the negative cable to the chassis, somewhere away from the battery. To remove, reverse process (remove negative from chassis first).
The idea is to keep sparks away from the battery. Batteries produce Hydrogen gas which is VERY explosive.

Dale 11-03-2014 07:17 PM

Try new battery in key fob before other exspenses

Akurei 11-03-2014 07:57 PM

Just put a volt meter/multimeter on your battery. A good battery should be stabilized at 12.67/12.76v. Not less than 12.60v (bad cells). You may wanna check your alternator voltage when you get the car back up and running in case its the reason your battery died, you never know.

Just so you know for reference in a no start condition in case its not the battery, a slow turn over means you're getting gas (possibly an ignition/spark problem), a fast turn over means no fuel in the cylinders (check fuel system, thats including its electrical circuit, ie fuses first)


Hope this helps, oh yeah, yours is a slow turn over but I'd check battery first

ayrton88 11-04-2014 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SouthArk370Z (Post 3020972)
I'd clean the battery terminals first. If that doesn't fix the problem, it sounds like you need a new battery (or alternator).

As far as hooking up jumper cables:
Hook up the cables to the good battery (go straight to the battery terminals). Place the positive jumper on the positive terminal of the bad battery. Ground the negative cable to the chassis, somewhere away from the battery. To remove, reverse process (remove negative from chassis first).
The idea is to keep sparks away from the battery. Batteries produce Hydrogen gas which is VERY explosive.

Ideally that's true, but I've had older cars that it is very hard to get a good ground. I've had to use the negative terminal...but it makes me very nervous. The last thing you want to do is start shaking when hooking the negative up because it will start arching for sure.

Read T 11-04-2014 10:00 AM

Did you leave the fob in the car? if so it could run the car battery down (and possibly the fob battery).

When my fob died, the car wouldn't recognize it even once it was in the fobgina and I had to have a fr iend go pick up a new battery for the fob. Then she started right up.

1slow370 11-04-2014 11:19 AM

if it is attempting to start, as in the starter clicks or the motor tries to turn over but fails, ignore all comments about the fob and just go get a new battery

falconfixer 11-04-2014 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1slow370 (Post 3021590)
if it is attempting to start, as in the starter clicks or the motor tries to turn over but fails, ignore all comments about the fob and just go get a new battery

:iagree:

white_wolf 11-04-2014 08:58 PM

My car lives!! Thank you all very much! I went and got a new battery, and she fired right up! =D


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