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Can a car start with a dead battery you were told by mechanic that your car battery is dead but the car is able to start due to running off of the alternator?
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
A car with a dead battery cannot be started on its own. If you use another car to jump start the car the car may run. My Lincoln Town Car will not run for long unless on the highway. There is too much of a load on the system. Even with the AC, fan, radio etc off it will stall in traffic with a bad battery. If the battery was drained due to leaving the lights on or does not charge due to corroded cables terminals, the alternator will charge the battery once the terminals are cleaned. You may need to drive for several miles on the highway to fully charge the battery.
You won't be able to start with dead battery. But once the engine is started by jumping off with jumper or battery cables, the alternator will generate adequate charge to keep the engine running.
Be careful if you are unfamiliar with jump starting an engine.... If you try it, please ensure that the cables are properly hooked up (hook one cable to the positive battery(+) post of your car and the other end of the same cable to the +battery post of the car jumping you off. Then, hook the other cable to negative(-) battery post of your car and the other end of the same cable to the negative battery post of the car jumping you off). Cables are generally color coded (RED for +positive, Green or black for negative-).
Now, once the engine is started, your car should run okay, assuming your alternator is functioning properly. Should the car engine stop running for any reason, it will require another boost to re-start. For example, once jump started, you could drive to auto parts store and have them install a new battery for you. It's just that you must understand that someone must help you boost your car again should your car stall or the engine stop runnning, until you replace the battery.
Incidentally, if your battery is dead due to leaving the lights on or something draining the battery accidentally, it should recharge okay, once you jumpstart your engine. The alternator should recharge the battery, unless either the alternator or the battery is failing. Be sure to leave running for a minimum of 20 or 30 minutes to allow time for the battery to re-charge. It may take less time, depending upon the battery / alternator condition. But the longer it runs, the more charge the battery will receive, until fully charged.
Hope this helps...
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
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If the battery is going out will the alternator still power the car?
the battery job is to start the car so the alternator will kick in after the car is running
How do you diagnose bad alternator?
Start the truck then disconnect the battery if it's still running the alternator is good
Your 1990 jag was running fine and when you turned the car off and went back to start it it would turn over but not start then it drained your battery?
Might be the alternator not recharging the battery (at the back of alternator it has bushes like a fuse bit made by boshe the go in the alternator ) I'm not a mechanic give that a go or it's your celanoid or points in distrubeter if have one
Should your car start right after changing the alternator?
If the battery is fully charged and the starter is working properly it will turn over and start. The alternators sole purpose is to supply voltage to the vehicle and battery when the engine is running. When the engine is not running the alternator has nothing to do with starting the engine. If the alternator went bad and the battery was discharged then you will have to charge the battery before it will be able to start the engine. Do not jump start the engine with a dead battery if you can avoid it. This puts a strain on the alternator trying to recharge a dead battery and can damage the alternator, even a new one.
How do you get the alternator to turn over?
The alternator is run by a belt connected to the engine. When the engine is running the alternator is turning. The alternator is what produces the electrical current that charges the battery & powers everything electrical while the engine is running. the battery is mainly to start the engine.
Why is your car not starting and the battery keeps dying?
Possibly a bad alternator. The Alternator charges the battery when the vehicle is running. If the battery is not being charged this could cause the vehicle not to start.
Can you jump start a car with a bad alternator?
you can but it wont stay running if the battery is dead
How do you start a 1994 crown vic with alternator problems?
If the alternator is bad the car will still start. You just need a fully charged battery. Once running then you can check the charge rate from the battery with a volt meter.
What will a new battery do for a truck?
As long as the alternator works and your charging system is correct, the new battery will start your truck and keep it running.
How do you check if my alternator is bad or my batter is bad in my car?
If the car won't start, jump it off. While it is running, remove the positive cable from the battery. If the car dies, then your alternator is bad. If it keeps running then you may have a bad battery.
To Test the output of the alternator on a1998 Maxima can you disconnect the neg battery cable?
Start the car and while it is running, disconnect the positive cable from the battery. If the car stalls, the alternator is bad.
Why won't my 1999 LHS wont stay running after a jump start?
bad alternator, dead battery.
