Flat battery Starlet

Catari Jaguar

Heya, total n00b here and I assume the answer is very obvious, so apologies in advance.

Got Toyota Starlet a couple of months ago, in great condition, it got a new battery in April 2011.

I have just started to drive and car has only been out a few times around car park and that, wasn't used at all for about 2 - 3 weeks and when I went to start it was coughing, headlights came on then dimmed and died on me.

My dad came up and tried to jump it but battery wouldn't take a charge at all. Now when I try to start it just clicks, am assuming battery is completely flat now? It's sealed so can't test it.

That was a week ago, my dad is away atm he was gonna swap with battery from his car just to see if my car would run with his.

What can I do? Do I take the battery out and bring it to a garage? Don't really like just leaving the car idle out there in case I **** it up more. Don't like having to rely on people for jump starts and stuff as well. Lots of inconvenience for them. Any advice?

Thanks

dgt

How often do you start and drive the car?

Catari Jaguar

dgt wrote: »

How often do you start and drive the car?

Was only using it weekly, need a sponsor with me at all times, pain in the face. Just due to stuff coming up it wasn't used for a month, turned the engine over and it sounded a bit unhealthy to me, but not like I could go take it out for a spin. Ideally, want to use it a lot more because I need practice, have just started lessons.

dgt

Catari Jaguar wrote: »

Was only using it weekly, need a sponsor with me at all times, pain in the face. Just due to stuff coming up it wasn't used for a month. Ideally, want to use it a lot more because I need practice, have just started lessons.

Would you drive for long distances? Would you stop and start the car a lot?

It sounds like the battery is stuffed, do you know what type it is?

Catari Jaguar

dgt wrote: »

Would you drive for long distances? Would you stop and start the car a lot?

It sounds like the battery is stuffed, do you know what type it is?

Car was in perfect nick. Preowned by a mechanic. I have had it about 2 months, and have just driven in a car park practicing gears a few times and a couple of miles. Am total beginner and other people really aren't supposed to be driving my car, so it just wasn't getting used... Oh yea to stopping and starting, poor thing cutting out because haven't gotten hang of my clutch yet Does that wreck it??

Could I charge it myself with a charger? I dunno what type of battery tbh.

dgt

Once a battery goes flat, especially in winter, that's pretty much the end of it... It might be only a year and a half but with occasional driving and stop starting it's not going to last.

Try to charge it fully first and see how you go from there

An educated guess would be a type 063 battery

Mech1

Go buy a "reasonable" battery charger, try it.
As you are only starting out on your motoring experience you will have lots of use for it in the future even if it dosent sort your immediate problem.

Catari Jaguar

Just buy a battery charger? Like in Argos or something? Do you need to take the battery out of the car or just connect it and leave it? Sorry, I am really clueless and just terrified of it exploding or something.

dgt

Catari Jaguar wrote: »

Just buy a battery charger? Like in Argos or something? Do you need to take the battery out of the car or just connect it and leave it? Sorry, I am really clueless and just terrified of it exploding or something.

Halfords sell them.

Disconnect the terminals first

Catari Jaguar

dgt wrote: »

Halfords sell them.

Disconnect the terminals first

Terminals being clips on the - / + on the battery?

Getting a charger tomorrow, it's seemingly idiot proof. Has a trickle option, which I guess I should use on an overnight charge?

Also has settings for gel cell or normal. Mine is gel cell right because it's sealed?

Online it says sealed batteries should always be removed. Is that correct? Is that just using a spanner to remove it?

whizbang

You dont need to disconnect the battery. just clip on the charger, make sure the contacts don't touch the bonnet when its closed, and leave it plugged in for about 4 days. or maybe a week.

The newer electronic chargers are very smart and can sometimes revive a dead battery.

dgt

As above.

In regards your battery, without seeing it, more than likely normal lead acid. Do get the name/model and google it to be sure