What can go wrong from a car sitting a few months?
My car has been sitting in my grandparent's carport for a few months. I tried to jump start it today, the lights turned on and all the electronic stuff worked but it wouldn't start. Do I just need to try again or could it be the starter or something? It's a 1998 Ford Taurus.
May be the starter. Or you may have a completely dead battery. I'd take both to a parts house like autozone. Get them to test both the starter and battery. The vehicle won't turn over then look at your grounds and wires something may have chewed on it while it sat. But to address the lights being on, you can have plenty of voltage to turn the electrics on but not enough to turn the motor over.
Won't start as in? Read this to understand what info we need to answer your question
http://ricksfreeautorepairadvice.com/car-wont-start/
FYI,
On OBDII vehicles, which a 98 is, you must have a minimum of 10VDC for the computer to turn all outputs on. Just because lights and such turn on, does not mean the computer will turn on.
Also, during jump starting, on the ford, you must place the Red lead to battery pos, and the black lead to an engine bracket or such. The negative can't be clipped to the battery.
On the car supplying the power the red and black jumper cable leads are connected to the battery.
Jump starting a car this way, basically bypasses the battery and allows your car to use the other cars battery to start. If you connect both leads at both ends to the battery, you are only charging the lower battery from the other car.
It sounds like you need to jump start the car as the way I said, or charge the battery in the 98.
Clean all battery terminals both at the battery and where the ground strap connects to the car and at the starter motor. Take the battery out and have it tested and charged for free at Pep Boys or AutoZone. It is likely the battery, not something major. They will check the cells to see if all will hold a charge. Batteries do age out so just from sitting it can go bad, still enough juice to power lights but not enough to engage the starter solenoid.
- What should be done to a car that s been sitting for a long time? My parents bought me and my brother a 2001 ford mustang about a month ago. It has 88,000 miles on it and the previous owner (not the original owner) had been letting it sit for about 6 months I think he said. The car obviously hasn't been driven that much. I know I should obviously change the oil and all filters. I don't know too much about cars but am learning and was just wondering from any mechanics out there what all I should do to it.
- My question is about storing a car outside in the winter for a few months? I live in northern Minnesota but I always go south for the winter for about 3 or 4 months. I've got a 2001 Ford Mustang V6 with a hundred and thirty-five thousand miles. I'm planning on leaving it in a friend's backyard for the winter. Is there any precautions I can take in order for the vehicle to not be dead upon my return. I heard turning it on and letting it run once a week will help?
- I have to get a car running that has been sitting for 17 years? I have to get a 79 Ford Mustang with a in-line 4 running so it can be moved out of a parking garage that it has been parked in. Obviously it will need some fresh gas, any ford enthusiast have any tips to offer?
- How to prevent stray dogs from sleeping or sitting under your car? We recently got a new Ford.So we don't want scratches on it or pee stains. But a dog comes and sleeps under the car. He also scratched our car cover.Is there something we could do to prevent the dog from sleeping under the car?