Temperature here is about -22F and it’s been this cold for about a week. I had to jump start my car yesterday and it’s dead again today. When I crank the engine, it makes the ‘click, click’ sound but doesn’t start. (I drove around for about 30mins after the jump start.)
Headlight, other lights and radio can be turned on. So I guess the battery is not totally dead but not enough to start the engine. Another problem is “check engine” sign is showing on my dashboard. (constantly on, not blinking).
I guess the battery is about 2 years old and the car is 2007 Chrysler Sebring. Only the battery terminal for the jump start is in the engine compartment (under the hood). The battery itself is behind the left front fender near the wheel. I don’t know much about the car and it would be very tough to remove the battery and send it to Autozone or other service center. And to find a friend for another jump start is very difficult at this time now.
So is there any other solution for my problem? Do I need to replace the battery now? Any suggestion?
Thanks!!!
Hopefully there is a warranty on your battery. The last two batteries I had kicked the bucket early, and I was able to get new replacements pro-rated to less than half the cost. Summer heat can damage the battery, but the damage not show up until the temperatures drop. -22F is fairly extreme and any damage to the battery will easily act like you describe. The store that sold you the battery will need to test it to validate a warranty claim.
Did ur car start ok last yr when it was -22f? if it started fine during the last frigid condition than I would say new battery time. Or get a plug in engine heater. You could get a booster pack but that money could be spent on a new battery too.
A 2 year old battery in a cold climate like that should still be ok. I’d discount this as a battery problem. There’s lots of possibilities, but no need to guess. First step for this problem is to charge the battery fully with a battery charger, and clean the battery posts and connectors, clean off the top of the battery, and check the level of the battery fluid. If the problem remains or returns, post back.
Note: If cleaning the battery posts and connectors means you need a shop’s help b/c of how it is positioned in the car, well, that’s what the shop is there for. To help you with things like this.
get that battery charged and tested. otherwise you’ll be just chasing your tail trying to figure this one out. I’d say bad battery is the most likely culprit, but you won’t know til you get it charged and tested.
It is physically impossible to fully charge your starting battery from a fully discharged state in only 30 minutes of driving. When this happens, you get a jump to get home and then put the battery on a dedicated charger overnight. Otherwise, it’s in a death spiral from that point onwards. Especially in -22F conditions. You can prove it to yourself using nothing more than a DVM. When you get your car home, let it sit with the engine off for 1/2 hour to allow the battery to equalize. Then measure the terminal voltage…
Right. Jump starting does not charge your battery. It only supplies the current to get the engine started and a residual charge. You needed to have the battery fully charged at least overnight. Its possible now though that the battery is damaged and it might be best to just replace it. Nothing much works at that temp though.