# Battery or not?

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-or-not/2459>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [July 31, 2007, 6:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-or-not/2459 "2007-07-31T18:41:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rharrison58](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a698b9/32.png) [@rharrison58](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rharrison58)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2007, 6:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-or-not/2459/1 "2007-07-31T18:41:14Z")

</div>

I have a 2000 Toyota Avalon. Sometimes it cranks, sometimes it doesn’t. I took it to two separate places and had it checked and they both said the battery and alternator are fine. What are my other options?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2007, 6:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-or-not/2459/2 "2007-07-31T18:45:00Z")

</div>

```
 Try removing both ends of the battery cables (both of them) and cleaning both the cable and where it goes very well and reattaching making sure they are secure.
```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SteveF](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevef/32/2_2.png) [@SteveF](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveF)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2007, 7:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-or-not/2459/3 "2007-07-31T19:36:28Z")

</div>

Just curious – when it doesn’t crank, what do you do  
to get it to start?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![michael\_in\_gp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@michael\_in\_gp](https://community.cartalk.com/u/michael_in_gp)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2007, 8:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-or-not/2459/4 "2007-07-31T20:16:36Z")

</div>

How old’s the battery? If it’s more than a few years old, I’d just replace it. For one, it’s the cheapest alternative, and two, in my experience, it’s always been the battery.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Cougar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cougar/32/21348_2.png) [@Cougar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cougar)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2007, 8:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-or-not/2459/5 "2007-07-31T20:37:53Z")

</div>

Along with cleaning the battery connections try starting the engine with the shifter in Neutral when the trouble happens again. If that works then check the Neutral safety switch for a intermittent problem. It may just need adjustment.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rharrison58](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a698b9/32.png) [@rharrison58](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rharrison58)\
**Post date:** [August 1, 2007, 12:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-or-not/2459/6 "2007-08-01T12:58:49Z")

</div>

I jump it off and it cranks immediately.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rharrison58](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a698b9/32.png) [@rharrison58](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rharrison58)\
**Post date:** [August 1, 2007, 12:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-or-not/2459/7 "2007-08-01T12:59:44Z")

</div>

I’m not sure how old the battery is. I bought it a year ago used.