Car Will Not Start – No Click

Mr Davis , I have a Jeep Cherokee I had for about 6 yrs. I’ve had everything fixed on it as it needed it ..I just paid over $800.00 to have a starter and alternator put in and now 3 months later I drove around this morning, stopped, parked an then got in an came home a half hour later its dead no noise at all no lights no key alarm nothing.  My car will not start today.

I’m a single woman an I don’t have money or know anyone to help me ..what do I check to see if its a bad battery or what please help ..
thanks Mary

Hi Mary,

It does sound like you have a dead battery from what you told me. I would first open the hood and make sure the battery cables are tight and clean of corrosion. If the cables are tight and the battery is more than 3 years old, I personally would replace the battery.

Here are a few simple ways to clean the cables…take a watch

There could be a problem with the alternator not recharging the battery so you might want to have that checked if you replace the battery and in a few days have a dead battery problem again. The average life of a battery is about 3 years though and a weak battery causes the alternator to work harder which in turn can cause premature alternator failure.

More cars that come to our shop on a tow truck have loose or dirty battery cables than anything else, so rule that out first.

Please share this with your friends
Austin Davis

Reader Follow Up

Mr. Davis, thanks for your speedy reply. Can I try to charge the battery overnight fist and see if that solves the problem. I really can not afford to buy a new battery right now.

Hi Mary,

Sure you can try to charge your existing battery for 12 hours and see what happens. Although, if the battery is “bad” it will not hold a charge for very long so you might be stranded again real soon. Make sure to carry some jumper cables with you. I would still double check the battery cables and the connections to the battery first to rule that out.

Please share this with your friends,
Austin Davis

Reader Follow Up

Mr. Davis….me again. Just wanted you to know that the battery cables were in deed loose and was causing the problem. I am so happy I did not have to buy a new battery. Thank you so much!
Mary