Common Problem

Car Battery Dead — What To Do Next

If turning the key or pressing start gives you absolutely nothing — no dashboard lights, no sound, complete silence — your battery is almost certainly fully dead rather than just weak.

Total silence vs. a weak battery

There's an important difference between a battery that's struggling (dim lights, slow crank, clicking) and one that's completely dead (nothing happens at all). A fully dead battery usually means either it's been drained completely — commonly from being left unused for a long period, or a fault causing it to lose charge — or there's a totally broken connection at the terminals.

Check the terminals first

Before assuming the worst, take a look at the two battery terminals. If you see heavy white, green, or blue corrosion, or a terminal that looks loose or disconnected, that alone can cause a total loss of power even with a perfectly good battery underneath. This isn't something to try fixing yourself on the roadside, but it's useful information for whoever comes to help.

Getting back on the road

A mobile jump start can revive most dead batteries, restoring enough charge to get you moving. If the battery won't hold any charge at all even after a jump, that's a sign it needs replacing rather than just recharging — we'll tell you clearly which situation you're in.

Frequently Asked Questions