Forum:
last night i forgot to turn off headlights after coming home from the store. so i woke up this morning and of course found the battery to be dead i tried jumping it, but it didnt work so i let the battery charge for a while and still nothing. I just got a new battery for the thing and still nothing. if anybody might know what is going on with it some advice would be greatly appreciated.
Earth .................
Firstly check all the fuses are functioning. Check all connections from the battery are tight.
Silly question but were there any plastic caps on the new battery terminals? Its been known to connect the leads onto the plastic caps. I did it myself and was mystified when the battery appeared 'dead'. The plastic caps are often difficult to recognise and you fail to notice them ... they lift off the terminals before connecting the leads.
1. Could be a bad earth between battery to car body. Fix a jump lead from the battery negative to the engine block. Now try the starter. If it turns over then find battery earth/body connection and clean it.
2. With new battery fitted, will the headlights, horn, wipers, try everything ..... work? If 'yes' then remove all the leads to the starter and give them a clean. Refit and try again.
3. If no luck then suspect a faulty starter. Remove it and test it.
Flat Hijet
I support Mace's comment and in particular the blue and red plastic caps which make you feel a fool.
It is not unheard of for a new battery to be dead so check that as Mace says or using a tester.
It is odd that the old battery would not allow you to jump start from another vehicle so look toward a break in either the Negative earth connection. Rust where it connects to the body will causing a break in the circuit. If so relocate to sound metal. Corrosion on the postive connection of the starter, as Mace says, will cause the same problem on the Positive side and often a wiggle of the connection will restore life. If theis happens remove and clean thoroughly or replace the connector as it will occur again.
Having established that the new battery is charged it is a case of ellimination and it may well prove that the original battery was not the fault but something else.
Check the rear of the ignition switch to ensure that it is working and passing a current to the starter in the first place. These often fail. I assume that when you switch on the IGN the warning lights on the dash light up which would suggest that the switch is ok, if not then start there.
OLDMINIMAN
M J Young