So for the past ~two weeks I’ve dealt with the clamp that goes around my negative post had been slipping off of the post. Today before work(seems to be only when you have somewhere to be) I went to crank my car, to hear a single click but no start.
Now, the lights come on, AC goes full blast, and the headlights and radio work. I jumped the battery from my wife’s car with no luck.
Based on this, could you give me some ideas/options/advice on how or what to fix/check? I have minimal tools and virtually no mechanical knowledge.
Any and all help is appreciated. Even if it’s just a “damn. That sucks.”
Video update. Yes I knowy car is dirty.
Didn’t know this community existed but in case someone else needs it later: https://lemmy.world/c/mechanicadvice
Have you tightened the clamp?
Is there anything on the battery post? Do you see any build up on battery post?
How old is the battery?
Not yet, had to wake up the wife to give me a ride into work(we work at the same place I just have an earlier shift) but once I get off I’ll be doing that first.
During the jump I let it sit for about 5 minutes and revved the wife’s car twice.
I don’t think the battery is older than 5 years. But I could be wrong, as I didn’t check.
To clarify, when you jumped the car the negative battery cable was connected and the car would not start.
Trace the battery cables and make sure they are both cables are properly attached at both ends.
Batteries last 3-5 years.
For the jump the pos and neg were connected on the good battery and the pos was connected but the neg was attached to a bolt on the “bad” battery, as per this video: https://youtu.be/iI1o2hNy2hE
Sorry if I am not being clear. I am talking about the cables that lead from your battery to your car, not the jumper cables.
Your positive cable is red and connects your battery to your starter motor and other electrical equipment.
Your negative cable is black and it connects you battery to a ground point on your car’s engine or chassis.
I assummed in your original post that you were asking about the battery connection to your car.
If you are asking about getting the jumper connections to stay attached that is just a matter of getting them to clamp on.