We've all been there: we get into the car and turn the key in the ignition but nothing happens. We try it again but to no avail. The car battery is done.

                                       

Having your car battery die is a nuisance but unfortunately it happens and there are many reasons for it. But before you try to figure out why it died, you must charge it up.

1. The jump start is the most effective means of getting your car battery charged again but it requires another vehicle and a courteous person. It will also only work if your alternator is working and will start charging the battery again when the engine starts.

To jump start your battery you will need jumper cables. Use these to connect your car battery to another and make sure you connect positive to positive, negative to negative. Have the other person start their car and wait for a few minutes before trying to start your own car. If it does, let it run for a further minute to ensure it's working properly. If the engine doesn't start, leave the battery charging for another few minutes. If your car fails to start, you will need to call for assistance.

 2. You can also recharge your car battery at home using a battery charger. All you have to do is remove the battery (please consult your user's manual for instructions) and attach it to the charger. This will take longer than a jump start but there should be a meter on the charger which will let you know when the battery is recharged.

3. Last but not least, find out what caused your battery to die. Did you leave your lights on? Is the radio turning off properly? If you can find the cause, you can prevent the same thing happening again. If your car battery dies again, then it could be a bigger problem and should be checked out.

 

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