Has your car stopped turning on? Did you just change the battery to solve the problem? Are you encountering that the car still doesn’t start with a new battery? If the answer to all these questions is a yes, you have come to the right page. This article is specifically created to explain why your car won’t start after new battery installed!
At certain times, we all have experienced that our car does not start immediately.
And when it happens, we have to adapt to several mechanisms to start it, including jump-starting, pushing, etc. And the most convenient reason behind such failures, as we observe, is a dead car battery or lessened battery juice. And in such instances, the best solution is to change the battery to a new one. But what to do when your car won’t start without a jump, even with a new battery? That’s something you would not like to experience, right? The reasons behind such an issue can vary, which we shall discuss later in this article.
But one thing that we suggest is that whenever your car doesn’t make a start, do not jump to conclusions that you have got a dead battery; there can be other reasons too! So, without wasting much time, let us get to know details about the working principle of the car battery, the reasons why car won’t start without jump, and how to fix the issue in the article that follows! Keep reading.
How Does a Car Battery Work?
Most car owners know how to charge, remove or store a car battery. But not all of them know how a car battery works! There are a lot of sequences that run through the battery when you switch on the ignition, and it requires an optimum electrical current to ensure your car gets started in a blink.
But within those few seconds of switching the ignition and starting your car, a lot of work happens inside the car battery that few of us know about! So, are you also eager to know how does a car battery work? Well, let us discuss the same. The following sequence of events will help you understand it better.
The 12-volt car battery consists of 6 cells that are connected in series and separated from each other by partitions. An electrolyte of sulphuric acid and water solution fills the battery.
The battery cells contain positive lead dioxide plates and negative lead plates, each with insulating separators.
You already know what does a car battery do, but now you will be able to figure out how it works after ignition. So, when the ignition is switched on, a chemical reaction occurs between the acid solution and the plates, which in turn creates electrical energy as the electrons flow from the negative plate to the positive plate.
Approximately 12.6-volt electric current is produced through the reaction, with each cell producing around 2.1 volts.
Lastly, the produced voltage passes through the battery terminals, which are connected to the battery cables that are responsible for starting the vehicle.
Remember this sequence when you wonder how does a battery work in a car!
Causes of New Battery But Car Won’t Start Without Jump:
If you have already changed your car’s dead battery and replaced it with a new one, it will naturally take you in shock if your car still doesn’t start. Well, there are reasons why car won’t start without jump, even with a new battery. A few common reasons are mentioned below. So let’s go through them and find out exactly why the car doesn’t start with a new battery!
Wrong Battery Installation
This is one of the primary reasons why car won’t start but battery is good! Sometimes the installation of the battery might be wrong due to which the electric charge does not flow through the battery to the vehicle after the ignition is turned on. The negative and positive terminals of the battery need to be connected in series and at the desired points to make it work properly. It is not always possible that you can do it without the help of a professional. So, it is recommended when you buy a new battery to allow a car mechanic to do the needful installation so that you do not have to jumpstart your car even if it has a new battery!
Battery Terminal Corrosion
You might have asked yourself several times- why do I have to keep jump starting my car, even when you replaced the old battery with a new one! A corroded battery terminal is another reason you may face such issues. The metal parts of the battery terminal can get corroded with time, and even if the battery you used is new, it might have been in the store for a long time, which made the terminals to be corroded. Thus, if you notice any type of Corrosion or rust in the metal parts of the battery terminal, you should know that it is the reason behind your car not starting without a jump!
Starter Malfunction
This is one of the major causes why your car has a new battery but car won’t start without jump! Sometimes the car battery can be just fine, and it will not have any connection with why the car is not starting without a jump. So, where’s the problem? Well, you must look for the starter switch if you find out that your car battery is fine. If you hear a telltale clicking noise when you turn the ignition switch, you can be assured of a malfunctioning starter. So, you can repair or replace the switch accordingly.
Faulty Alternator
A faulty alternator is one of the causes why a car starts after jump but won’t start again! It is worse than a dead battery, probably because with a dead battery, your car can start after a jump, but with a faulty alternator, even if it starts, it won’t last long, and you will face a dead vehicle sooner again! To summarize, a faulty alternator means the battery of the car would not be able to hold the charge for too long, even if it’s new. Thus if you notice that your car starts with a jump but doesn’t start again or goes on for too long, then you can consider it to be an issue with the Alternator.
Seized Engine
If you are thinking about why a car won’t start but battery is good, then probably there might be a problem with the seized Engine. Wondering what it means? A seized engine occurs when you keep the headlights on overnight or turn on other electrical equipment for long hours that can drain the battery, which in turn does not start the vehicle. There is a difference between a seized engine and a dead battery; the former allows the electrical components to run, but the car doesn’t start, while the latter doesn’t allow the electrical components to run as well, besides being a failure at starting the car. Check for the difference to find out the exact cause!
What to Do If you have New Battery But Car Won’t Start Without Jump?
Are you worried about what to do if your vehicle has a new battery but car won’t start without jump? Well, worry not! We have got you covered! In this section, you will learn about all the possible solutions you can resort to if such instances occur to you. Let’s find out.
Check the Battery
What to do if the car won’t start but battery is good? You still need to check the battery! Yes, you read that right! Sometimes even though the battery is good, there can be problems in the connections or corrosions in the metal part of the connectors, which can lead to a non-functioning battery. If you find Corrosion, you can remove it using a homemade solution of baking soda and water. Once the Corrosion is removed, you can try igniting the car, and it shall work. Still, if the car needs jump start but the battery is good without any wrong connections or corrosions, then you should check the status of the charge using a voltmeter. If it shows 12.6V or higher, then it’s fine; otherwise, the battery must be dead. If the battery is new, move on to the next given solution to ignite your car’s Engine.
Inspect the Cables
Does your car only starts when jumped? Well, there might be an issue with the cables. After testing the battery, you should check for the cables as they can go bad inevitably. Apart from crusted corrosion on the battery connections, the cables can also get corroded with time which can lead to non-functioning batteries. If you want to examine the condition of the cables, you should perform the voltage drop test. Use one probe of the voltmeter to touch the battery post and another to touch the terminal. The reading must be something surrounding zero or, accurately zero. If the voltage goes beyond zero and shows negative reading, it indicates that your battery cables are losing charge. In such instances, the car won’t start unless jumped! So, you need to either change the cables or take help from a mechanic to fix the issue.
Check the Starter
Do all your car’s electric equipment work fine, but still, the car won’t start without jump? Well, in this case, the issue could be the starter itself. In most cases, if the starter of the car has a problem, it may affect its ignition, most obviously! You can know there is a problem with the starter if all other electrical equipment works just fine and it only has a problem with the ignition. If the problem is in the starter, you have to fix it with a car mechanic. Sometimes, multiple parts of the starter can lead to failure, including the solenoid and the motor as well. And it is not possible to always look into things by yourself. So, you will need a mechanic’s help to find the exact problem and fix it thereafter! The cost of a new starter can range from $50 to $300, depending on the quality.
Test the Alternator
If the car won’t start after new battery installed, you must test the Alternator for any problem. Because when the battery and cables are fine, it must be the Alternator that must be throwing tantrums, which leads to a non-starting vehicle most of the time. Wondering how to test the Alternator? Well, the first and foremost thing to do is use a multimeter (or voltmeter) to determine the voltage the Alternator utilises. To start with, you must attach the two probes of the multimeter to the positive and negative terminal of the car’s battery and wait for the reading. If the reading counts anything between 14.2 and 14.7 volts, it indicates that the Alternator is doing just fine. If the reading is more than that, you should know that the Alternator is overcharging, which also leads to a rundown of the battery.
Install a New Ignition Switch
Do you often wonder what to do when the battery fully charged but car won’t start? Well, in that case, the problem might be the ignition switch! Because no matter how good the condition of the battery is, if the ignition switch is not good, it will never be able to ignite the car and start it easily. There can be multiple issues with the ignition switch that you may not be able to see with naked eyes, as the inner complexity of the wires are not that easy to understand. It is the job of the mechanic to find out about the exact problem of the car ignition switch and fix it thereafter. Some of the normal signs of the ignition switch failure include intermittent loss of lighting, silent starter motor, non-starting Engine, etc. The replacement cost is not too high, and a good switch can cost you anywhere between $60 to $100, depending on the quality.
Check the Belt
Do you often wonder why my car need a jump start every time? The belt might be the cause! After the cables, the belt is the most important part of the car engine’s battery system. And if it is bad, it can easily lead to a non-running car. Almost all cars use serpentine belts and idler pulleys that help maintain the tension in the charging system. When the belt seems cracked, squeaked, or shows signs of slippage, you must know there is a problem with it. And when the belt is bad, it would not allow the Alternator to work the way it actually works. As a result, the car starts when jumped but won’t start again. So, what’s the solution? Well, the best solution is to replace it. A new belt would cost you around $50, excluding an additional labor charge.
Replace the Fuses
A blown-up battery fuse might be the reason why the car starts after jump but won’t start again! Most times, we don’t see beyond the mechanical faults that can lead to a non-functioning vehicle. The fuses blow up before the motor is affected; thus, it can be the fuses that might be causing problems to your car engine without you knowing about it. To know whether the fuse has issues, you can check for symptoms like burning plastic smell, cranky engine sound, non-working headlights, etc. And when you find out the engine fuse is blown, the most convenient way to fix it is to replace it with a new one. You may be able to fix it on your own, but that is a complex procedure, and proper knowledge is also required. So, it is recommended you either go to a car mechanic or replace the fuse entirely.
Drain the Fuel Filter
Another important reason why you have to face issues like ‘brand new battery car won’t start’ is this one! The fuel filter is part of the car that helps run the fuel smoothly through the engine system. And when there is a problem in the fuel filter, it might lead to blockage of the fuel that would obviously lead to a non-starting vehicle. It is, in fact, one of the most critical parts of the car engine because it gets easily clogged with dirt and grime over a period of time, and if you do not maintain it properly, it will lead to the prevention of smooth flow of the fuel. Thus, draining the fuel filter properly might help unclog it, eventually making the fuel flow smoother. It is not a difficult process to follow, and you can also do it on your own.
Replace the Spark Plugs
Are you stall thinking about what to do when your car won’t start without a jump? Well, another primary reason why it can happen is bad spark plugs. When you have faulty spark plugs in your car, it will not only lead to a stalling car but also show other major problems that you would not like to face anyway! The car’s spark plugs are responsible for producing electric sparks in the system that shall ignite the ‘fuel-air mixture’ of the Engine to produce energy to run the car. And any problem in the spark plugs can disturb this cycle coherently. Engine misfiring, lack of acceleration, and increased fuel consumption are some other issues that your car might face when there is a problem with the spark plugs. Thus, replacing the faulty ones will not only make your car ignite easily but also solve the other problems!
Seek Professional Help
Are you still thinking about what to do if you have new battery but car won’t start without jump? The last solution you can resort to if all the above formulas fail to produce results is to seek professional help. Sometimes, the problem in your car can be beyond the ones that are mentioned here. And it is not always possible for you to detect the exact problem that stops your car from getting started without a jump. Hence, it is recommended that you get help from a professional car mechanic so that he is able to detect the exact issue and fix it as required. Though the cost of seeing a mechanic can be a bit too high as most car mechanics are expensive in the state, you can expect to pay anything around $2000 if you want your car engine repaired or replaced. But it will definitely be worth it!
How to Jump Start a Car (Step by Step)
To know how to jump start a car by yourself with or without cables, you have to go through this section entirely. If your car battery fails or if there is any such issue where you need to jump your car, having the knowledge of jump starting a car would help you immensely! Follow the given steps for some detailed ideas.
With Cables:
- Both cars should be turned off.
- One end of the positive (red) jumper cable and stalled battery’s positive terminal should be connected.
- Repeat the same connection with the good battery using the other end.
- One end of the negative (black) jumper cable and good battery’s negative terminal should be connected.
- The other negative cable should be connected to a clean and unpainted metal surface that is present under the hood of the disabled car.
- Run the ‘jumping car’ for 2-3 minutes before starting the disabled car.
- The cables should be removed in reverse order.
Note: keep the ‘jumping car’ running for at least 30 to 45 minutes, so the battery gets recharged sufficiently.
And with this, you got to know how to jump start a car with cables!
Without Cables:
Got no cables? No problem! We will give you tips on how to jump start a car with another car without using cables! Read the following steps.
- A stretched downhill road or a push on the car is perfect to start with.
- Put the vehicle in first gear by depressing the clutch fully and turning on the ignition.
- Do not keep your foot on the brake while going downhill or rolling by the push.
- Keep the clutch fully depressed until the car reaches a speed of 5-7 miles per hour.
- Then release the clutch instantly. The Engine should quickly turn on, and the car should make a start.
- If it doesn’t start the first time, depress the clutch again and then release it to get better results.
So, this was all about how to jump start a car in simple and easy steps!
New Battery But Car Only Starts When Jumped – Author’s View
If you have reached this point in the article, you already know what to do if you have new battery but car won’t start without jump, isn’t it? And in addition to these excellent solutions, you also know how a car battery works, the reasons why it won’t start even with a new battery, and how to jump start the car. The detailed discussions were aimed at car owners who have faced or are facing issues with their car batteries.
Sometimes, even if you have replaced your old car battery, they do not start easily, and you have to jumpstart it, and that is when you need to figure out what to do when your car won’t start without a jump! The solutions mentioned above are all pretty efficient in dealing with this issue, but I have some favorite picks that I would like to share with you all. Here it goes.
- Inspect the cables (because most times we ignore the cables and look for the other parts).
- Install a new ignition switch (because it is the part that is used most in turning on the car).
- Seek professional help (because it always works).
These are my preferred choices to resort to if I get a new battery but car won’t start without jump. However, all the other options are also reliable, and you can choose the ones you think will meet your requirements in the best way possible!
