What you hear tells you a lot
- Slow, laboured cranking: usually a weak or aging battery
- Rapid clicking and no crank: the battery is too weak to turn the starter, or a terminal is loose or corroded
- One loud click, then nothing: often the starter motor
- Cranks normally but won't fire: more likely fuel, ignition or a sensor, not the battery
- Dash lights dim or flicker: low battery or a poor connection
The usual causes
- An old battery: most last three to five years, and cold weather is often what finally finishes them
- Short trips: a few minutes of driving doesn't recharge what the starter used, especially with the heater, lights and defroster running
- Corroded or loose battery terminals
- A charging problem: if the alternator isn't charging properly, even a new battery will keep going flat
- Something draining the battery overnight, like a light left on or a faulty module
If it happens to you
- Turn off the heater, lights and radio before you try again
- Try in short bursts of a few seconds, with a pause in between, rather than cranking non-stop
- If you boost it, connect the cables in the right order and let it run before you drive off
- If it needs a boost two mornings in a row, get the battery and charging system tested. Replacing the battery alone won't fix a charging problem
Test before you replace
We test the battery, the alternator and the starter, and check for drains, so you only pay for the part that's actually at fault. Can't drive it in? Call us at (647) 855-4444 and we'll talk through the options.