How to start a car that has been sitting for months?
Instead, follow these steps for safely starting a car after months of sitting idle.
- Inspect the undercarriage, wheel wells, and under the hood for animals and nests.
- Charge the battery.
- Change the engine oil and oil filter.
- Check the coolant, brake fluid, and power steering fluid.
- Check the spark plugs.
What happens if you don t start your car for months?
Batteries slowly lose their charge when they sit idle, and starting the car will drain it even more. If a car sits parked for a month or more, the battery may lose so much power that it will need a jump-start — or a charge before the engine will start.
What should I do if my car won’t start after sitting?
Next time that you are going to leave the car sitting for several months, either put a trickle charger on the battery to keep it powered-up, or have somebody start the engine once every 2 weeks or so, and then have them drive the car for about 45 minutes.
What happens if you let your car sit for months?
It’s likely the battery has been damaged from sitting dead. If you let the car sit again for months you can use the charger to preserve the replacement battery you will soon need.
How often should you start a car that has not been used?
Leaving a car unused for 3 months—or even 3 weeks—is not ideal. If possible, start your vehicle a couple of times per month when it is not being used. It’s best to not only start the vehicle, but to also drive it for about 10 miles before putting it back in storage.
What does it mean when your car won’t start?
You posted a classic description of a run down battery; “It tries to turn ( kinda does a “wrr wrr” sound) and stops, and then it makes a clicking sound.” The battery can have enough power to make your lights go on and play the radio, but it takes a lot more juice to crank the starting motor.
Why does my car not start after sitting for a few months?
After sitting for a few months, your battery (like most batteries would be at that point) has enough power left in it to take care of the low electrical-draw accessories, but not enough to turn the starter over fast enough to start the engine. Everything that you described makes it clear that the battery is extremely weak.
What to do after a car has been sitting for several months?
You may need a new battery, and if the radio requires a security code you’ll need that, too. Check the air pressure in the tires, check all the fluid levels, then start it up. Drive gently for the first few miles, until the rust is worn off the brake rotors. After that you should be good to go.
Is it bad for a car to sit for 45 minutes?
Just sitting is bad for the battery, but starting the engine and just allowing it to run for a few minutes is even worse, so consider that 45 minute drive to be an essential part of the process.
What do you do when your car won’t start?
When a car won’t start, most people will instinctively point a finger at the battery, and many times they will be right. Batteries do wear out to the point they can’t hold a charge, and they are a good place to begin when diagnosing a no-start situation.