Car Start Up Problems.

Paddy Fields

I have been out of the country for 16 months and when I get back and no surprise my car does not start. It is a 2003 Toyota Avensis with 22,000 miles on the clock. I tried to jump start using my brother-in-law's car and leads but nothing. I then changed to my jump leads which I thought were better, thicker gauge and copper contacts.

I attached red + to red then black - to black but as I did so the black just sparked so I didn't continue as I assume there is a short somewhere.

As there is such quite low mileage on my car I find it hard to believe that my alternator or starting motor is knackered.

Any tips or tricks to try or if not recommendations for a cheap auto spark that will do house calls?

Thanks all.

Paddy Fields

Paddy Fields wrote: »

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I attached red + to red then black - to black but as I did so the black just sparked so I didn't continue as I assume there is a short somewhere............l.

The spark is not unusual, to avoid it connect the black to the donor -ive battery and to an earth point in the Avensis rather than the -ive battery terminal.

johnayo

Paddy Fields wrote: »

I have been out of the country for 16 months and when I get back and no surprise my car does not start. It is a 2003 Toyota Avensis with 22,000 miles on the clock. I tried to jump start using my brother-in-law's car and leads but nothing. I then changed to my jump leads which I thought were better, thicker gauge and copper contacts.

I attached red + to red then black - to black but as I did so the black just sparked so I didn't continue as I assume there is a short somewhere.

As there is such quite low mileage on my car I find it hard to believe that my alternator or starting motor is knackered.

Any tips or tricks to try or if not recommendations for a cheap auto spark that will do house calls?


Thanks all.

Remove the battery and get it charged. After that length of time idle it may well be knackered.

CiniO

Was the battery plugged in the car for those 16 months.
In that case I believe it is certainly gone, and getting a new batter might solve the problem (assuming battery is the only one).

Paddy Fields

Thanks James, I've heard that before where you do not actually attach the negative of the donor car to the negative in the recepient but to an earth point. Just never bloody thought of it to be honest.

Cheers.

Paddy Fields

CiniO wrote: »

Was the battery plugged in the car for those 16 months.
In that case I believe it is certainly gone, and getting a new batter might solve the problem (assuming battery is the only one).

No... What I did was disconnect the battery so there was no drain on it like the immobiliser day after day. It has worked for me in the past but this period of 16 months is the longest I've been away.

Cee-Jay-Cee

the battery is possibly dry and so therefore is unable to generate current even after being charged. I'd simply buy a new battery.

also be careful as your brakes could be seized after lying up for that lenght of time too, you may need to rock the car back and forth to try and unstick them, if it won't move forward try reverse and keep alternating between first and reverse till they free up, you will then need to be careful as the discs will possibly be corroded and ineffective till you clean the discs (by gently braking on a long hill preferably)

It's 90% the battery, it should start off a jump start eventually but it may well not charge up and hold charge. Once you get it going get the battery load tested