

Like a battery, it can also benefit from a jump start. Your car's starter is a motor that uses power from your battery to turn the engine. How Do You Tell If It's Your Starter Or Your Battery? If you can get the car started by jumping it, it's a good bet that your battery was the problem. If they are, you can clean them relatively easily yourself.Īttempting to jump start your car can also either confirm or eliminate the battery as the cause of your issue. It is fairly easy to tell if the terminals are dirty or corroded. A poor connection can prevent the battery from properly supplying power, even if it has plenty of life left in it. If these are dirty or corroded, the connection could be negatively impacted. The terminals are what connect the electrical system to the battery. If the lights and/or the radio come on, but the car does not start, you may also have dirty or corroded battery terminals. A dying or leaking battery may be able to power some systems in your car, and this may lead to confusion when trying to determine what is causing your car's issues. The battery can still have enough juice left to turn on the radio, but not enough to start the rest of the electrical systems.

It does not take a lot of power to turn on the radio and lights, so the fact that they come on when you try to start the car is not the major diagnostic clue, we tend to believe it is. This may come as a surprise, but the fact that your radio still works does not mean that your battery is not the issue. Though this is technically correct, it does not mean that the battery is alright. Typically, people assume that the battery is not dead if the radio turns on when they attempt to start the car. If your vehicle is experiencing problems, make sure you consult a qualified mechanic.Ĭan A Car Battery Be Dead If the Radio Still Works? We wish to discourage you from trying to diagnose or fix car problems on your own. We'll try to help you understand what's happening with your car so that you can work with your mechanic on fixing the issue.Īs always, our posts are for educational and entertainment purposes only. Some problems, like a dirty or dying battery, are easier to address than others, like a fuel pump problem or a bad starter.
#TOYOTA COROLLA WILL NOT CRANK DASHLIGHTS DIM HOW TO#
Keep reading to find out more about each of these causes and how to deal with them. There are several reasons why your car won't start even though the radio and lights work. But, what does it mean when your radio and lights work but the car won't start? We've done some extensive research to help you identify what could be wrong. If you've ever been in this situation, you've probably assumed it was the battery. There are few feelings worse than when your car won't start.
