"click"

[Amanda]

Feeling worse for wear, I left my car out on the drive last night. I also managed to leave the lights on which I didn't notice until this morning. Now it doesn't want to start. It just makes a "click" noise. I'm wondering (half inspired by photographs of women under cars in a recent thread here) if there is anything I can do myself to make my car start again without having to call a mechanic out? Thanks in advance. Amanda

[Shafted]

Yep, find another vehicle and a set of jumper cables or hook a battery charger up to the battery. That's about all you can do. If and when you get it started, run the vehicle for a good 15 minutes to charge the battery. Make sure the vehicle you jump from is running.

[Pumped]

Amanda, I would ty borrow a battery charger. You can jump start it from another car, but if the battery is that low you will need to run it quite a while to recharge the battery, 15 minute wil not do it.

[hoverfly]

Is it a stick shift?

[Bubba136]

If you do use another car to jump start your car, disconnect the jumper cables when your car starts. Don't leave them connected. Also be sure that you have the cables connected to the proper terminals.. Positive to positive and ground to ground ( or grounding point on both vehicles).

Edited February 7, 2013 by Bubba136

[dww]

Not quite as easy as you think, modern cars and vans have the battery all covered up or hidden so getting to it can be a nightmare. I discovered this one day parked up in Reading leaving the lights on stopped about six differant cars before I found one I could jump start from. Also beware some new cars you cannot jump start at all, something to do with the electronics on board. Jeep is on one I know of has to go to a main dealer as my brother found out to his cost.

[at9]

You will probably also need to replace the battery. Car batteries don't like being flattened and usually have a very short life after that, even if they appear to have recovered. You may also think it a good idea to spend £80 or so per year on a comprehensive assistance package including an option that will help you at home. AA and RAC charge rather more than this but there are better value packages, often as an optional extra with your car insurance. The best value I've yet found is here: http://www.autoaidbreakdown.co.uk/

[SF]

Put on some cute / comfortable heels and take the bus???

[dww]

Well Amanda it's been a few hours is the BMW back on the road? Down this neck of the woods it would be much sucking of air through the teeth moment you mention a german car. Hope you get it sorted quickly and cheaply.

[Amanda]

Is it a stick shift?

I've only ever owned "stick shift" I've tried Automatic cars but I just dont feel as in control of them.

Put on some cute / comfortable heels and take the bus???

There are no busses where I live. To be honest, busses aren't really my cup of tea anyway.

Well Amanda it's been a few hours is the BMW back on the road? Down this neck of the woods it would be much sucking of air through the teeth moment you mention a german car. Hope you get it sorted quickly and cheaply.

I don't have a BMW, I have a Mercedes. I'm not sure where you got that impression.

[Bubba136]

A stick shift. Manual shift? Then it's easier -- just get some one to give you a push. Put it in first (low) gear, get it rolling and pop the clutch. (Be sure the key is on) The push doesen't have to be from another car. Two or three guys can manage to get it rolling fast enough to get it started. But, if you spent the cost of a Mercedes, i would think it would have a lighting system that turn your lights on and off automatically.

[Amanda]

A stick shift. Manual shift? Then it's easier -- just get some one to give you a push. Put it in first (low) gear, get it rolling and pop the clutch. (Be sure the key is on)

The push doesen't have to be from another car. Two or three guys can manage to get it rolling fast enough to get it started.

But, if you spent the cost of a Mercedes, i would think it would have a lighting system that turn your lights on and off automatically.

Oh I'd left the keys in it as well. I often do.

[dww]

Sorry Amanda for the mistake, I thought you said you had silver convertable bmw in the topic what car do you drive, mind you that was some time ago and me memory can let me down. The reason why I got stuck in Reading was the alarm only comes on when you open the door I just turned of the ignition and sat in the car waiting for the girlfriend as with all modern cars the battery is there just to start the engine, the alternator usually takes care of the rest, so headlights on ten minutes result flat battery. Don't get the problem with the Land Rover though it's built as a car should be built.

[Amanda]

Don't get the problem with the Land Rover though it's built as a car should be built.

I've had to drive a borrowed landrovery thing sometimes when it snows a lot. Usually the roads are not too bad though my driveway can be horrendous. I've had to abandon my car part way down it before. When I've had the loan of the Landrover thing I can leave my car by the road and use the thing for going up and down the drive. I don't like driving it at all. Everything is just so heavy to operate and parking it in town is almost impossible.

[dww]

No problems with parking the thing I just park it where I want hedges central grass bits of dual carriageways even middle of a roundabout when these car parks have these height thingys no problems so far. People are amazed when you drive out of a car park via the embankment instead of the long que at the exit.

[meganiwish]

When the car won't go my chauffeur does a thing with a stocking. Obviously, I won't let him use one of mine, and I don't approve of him wearing them on duty, but he keeps a pair in the glove box for just such an eventuality, I presume. It looks a bit Heath Robinson, but it seems to work.

[Amanda]

Do please expand on that Meg, it sounds jolly interesting

[meganiwish]

Well, he took out the broken rubber band and tied the stocking around a bit of the engine and around a little thing with plastic blades. I suppose that's the propeller. Anyway, then the engine could twist it up again. It would be good if they gave you a lever so you could tighten it by hand. I'm sure I've seen such a thing, but then I suppose they couldn't sell you any petrol.

[at9]

Megan, what you're describing is an emergency fanbelt repair. Won't help if the battery is flat. It's barely relevant to modern cars as the fan is usually electrically powered. Modern cars usually have at least one belt. One drives the alternator which charges the battery. The engine will run without it but the battery will gradually go flat. A red light will be illuminated on the dashboard to show this fault. I doubt if an improvised belt would actually drive a modern alternator.Another belt (sometimes the same one) usually drives the power steering pump. If that belt fails your steering will be exceeding heavy. Yet another belt may drive the air conditioning compressor. Not essential.

[meganiwish]

Yes, I've heard about those new electric cars. The green chaps seem very keen on them. I suppose not needing rubber bands for the propeller is good for the rainforest, what with not needing to cut down so many rubber trees. Doesn't one need a terribly long flex though? My chauffeur wouldn't worry about the steering being heavy. He's jolly strong, and he normally keeps it fixed on a little pole in front of him.

[at9]

He's jolly strong, and he normally keeps it fixed on a little pole in front of him.

That's racist And sizist. And probably politically incorrect

[ilikekicks]

That's racist And sizist. And probably politically incorrect

A wise idiot once said : " If it has an engine, a processor or boobs.. it will eventually give you problems "

Good to hear Amanads ride is back to functioning. Do they have monster trucks in the UK? If so, someone find an event and I will ' post ' the funds so you can take Ms. Amanda and Megan to it .

[dww]

We used to have monster truck shows now and again down this way, but have not seen one advertised for years now. My sister in Cornwall has a classic Range Rover running on unimog axles and powered by a 6.2 GMC diesel engine on the farm, thats a bit of a beast.

[Amanda]

A wise idiot once said : " If it has an engine, a processor or boobs.. it will eventually give you problems "

Good to hear Amanads ride is back to functioning. Do they have monster trucks in the UK? If so, someone find an event and I will ' post ' the funds so you can take Ms. Amanda and Megan to it .

Like

[SF]

well, did it ever "unclick?" i.e. start???

[Amanda]

well, did it ever "unclick?" i.e. start???

Indeed it did.

For those who are to lazy to skim through the whole thread; a neighbour of mine "jump started" it, as prescribed by helpful posters.

[HappyinHeels]

Amanda, I'm glad you got your machine running again. One thing many people carry in their trunk (boot in the UK) , living in the northern third of the United States and all of Canada, is a set of "jumper cables" also known as booster cables for just the situation you found yourself. I have never needed a jump in the last 30 years because I buy "Interstate" batteries which are the best auto batteries out there but I have given plenty of people a jump start in that time. It does help to know the proper way of dong a jump: Put positive clamp (always red) on positive battery terminal and do the same onto the vehicle to be jumped. Take the negative clamp and put it onto the negative battery terminal (always black) but put the negative clamp onto the frame of the vehicle that needs the jump. The frame can be any metal part (not plastic or rubber) surrounding the engine. What this does is ensures a proper ground and gives you the best possible charge in minimal time. I believe jumper cables are commonly kept in vehicle's trunks here because the winter temperatures are so much lower and cold is a known enemy of batteries. A battery can have half its normal output at startup at 32F ( 0 C) as at 70F (21C) and this value decreases to 20% at 0F (-18C) and much of North America see temperatures way colder than that. I have driven in about 20 countries in temperatures from -40F (-40C) in Canada to 122F (50C) in Phoenix, Arizona in 1991 and never had a breakdown. Good batteries, good tires, good cooling and heating system, maintaining clean oil by changing it at the recommended MANUFACTURER'S (not oil change places) intervals, and making sure the fuel doesn't get moisture in it seems to work for me. I got over 230,000 miles (368,000 km) on my last two vehicles and have 141,000 miles (225,000 km) on my current one so I appear to be doing things the right way. Cars are expensive to have to buy every three years so I maintain mine and don't have to replace them for about 9-10 years, more money for retirement or shoes! HappyinHeels

[meganiwish]

It's as I thought when I read this:http://www.venturatoday.net/cables.html There's so much to go wrong and so many temperatures and distances to remember. Couldn't they replace the battery with a wind up clockwork device like that clever Bayliss chap did with a radio? That seems to work.

[at9]

Megan, the battery replaced a wind up clockwork device. It was called a starting handle. I can just about remember my dad starting one of his cars that way when the battery was flat. Here's a photo of one I found online: http://a2.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/123/0d737ce0a3dc328262041cd95a4c7bf7/l.jpg

[dww]

Yes I remember the good old starting handle, only way to start my 1959 Standard ten my first pride and joy. When cold it started very easy half a turn and away it went, when it was hot I had to put a brick on the throttle so it was flat out then round the front swing the handle wait until it fired up then very quick run to take the brick of the throttle worked every time. The only sort of modern car with a starting handle or last one with one was the 2cv I think.