You can't get enough current through those remote jump start terminals to start the engine with a totally dead battery. You must charge the battery for a good hour or so on a low charge rate first, then try to start it. Because of all the silly computers on the car and their memory circuits that are always drawing from the battery, the engine can only be expected to start after sitting unused for three weeks although many will start after longer periods. After six months you can expect the battery to be totally dead. If it sits in freezing temperatures, it will likely be permanently damaged but that doesn't happen right away. To add to the confusion, it takes a little while on a charger before the acid in the battery will become conductive. That means it will not charge at all for about 15 minutes. That makes it look like it's bad. The best you can do is put a battery charger on it, set it at a low charge rate, then wait for about an hour to an hour and a half. That will be enough time for it to slowly begin to charge and become fully charged. If it doesn't crank the engine after that, the battery is bad or there are loose cable connections.
Caradiodoc
Thursday, January 27th, 2011 AT 9:26 PM
