
At first, I wasn't sure if it was the battery or my remote starter. I sometime have problems with my remote starter as in I'll use it once and the next time I want to start my car, I cannot do it manually, I'll have to use the remote starter again. I tried several time starting the car manually and with the remote starter and it wouldn't work. My headlights were a bit dimmed, but nothing drastic. Finally, I had to ask a taxi driver to take a look. He confirmed it was the battery... yay! Unfortunately, he didn't have any booster cables. I asked another taxi and he didn't have any either. In the end, I had to call a friend and she was nice enough to come and give me a hand.

At that point, I was really starting to panic :( If it wasn't the battery, than it was the remote starter and the battery, I can jump start... but what do I do with the remote starter?!? Finally, I was ready to give up and I called roadside assistance. I was on the phone with them when a security guy was passing by and gave us a hand. Turns out the pliers were not well connected to the battery!!! My friend's battery was a bit dirty and therefore, the pliers weren't in contact with metal, but with grease... After a few tries, my car finally started!!! Alleluia!!
A few things I learned from tonight's experience? Check the horn and headlights as indicators for battery - although they can still work and battery be weak. If there's no sparks when the pliers make contact with metal, then it means the pliers are not well connected ^_^; And finally, I should put the booster cables and a flashlight in the trunk of my car. Well next time that it happens, I'll be more prepared and know better what to do. But I hope there's not a next time ^_^;
Oh Nath! ^_^. When I got my first car, my dad didn't let me get in the car without first learning how to boost a battery or change a tire -- I hated it, but it saved me a lot of grief later on! So, also make sure you always carry a Jack in case you get a flat tire and roadside service is not available. Do you know how to change a tire? What a pain! *g*
ReplyDeleteWow! that was quite the adventure!
ReplyDeleteI technically do know how to boost the battery but my dad has never let me do it! :P
Yikes - that was an experience! I was afraid you were going to say that you'd connected the jumper cables wrong. Not good!!!!
ReplyDeleteGlad your ordeal is over and you learned something from it!! :-)
I am SO unprepared in case my battery dies. No jumper cables, no idea how to hook them up even if I did have them. But!! One thing I DO have is CAA plus - just in case of such a scenario :-)
ReplyDeleteHilcia - Oh, that's actually a good idea, Hils!! Good for you LOL. I actually connected the cables right... Simply didn't check that it actually made contact with metal ^_^; Next time LOL.
ReplyDeleteI think I know how to change a tire. The problem though would probably see if I have enough strength.
and I do have a jack in the trunk. I think it comes with the car....
Alex - Yeah, it was an adventure ^_^; And of course, it always happens at the wrong time!! Once again, my parents are not home ^_^; and my sister was in a hurry to go home and study. Sigh.
LOL, you should try it once, in a non-panicky situation LOL.
Dev - Yeah, that'd be bad as well! But no, the cables were actually well connected. It actually helps that they put a red cap over the positive side.
Definitively learned something, but hopefully, it'll never happen again. I know to be more careful with my light now!!
Kristie - LOL, CAA is a good back-up, Kristie! I don't have that, so I need to learn.
Glad to hear everything worked out okay. Having 3 older brothers, growing up I learned about cars from helping them. Now - I have AAA. LOL
ReplyDeleteSomething similar happened to me once and it was so embarrassing, you know why? Because I couldn’t even find the little button to open the hood! It was ridiculous, I started laughing because the alternative was crying. Thank god the guy who helped me had the cables and knew what he was doing… The good news is that now I know how to jump start a car, change a tire and all the basics because I don’t want to go through that again. Oh! And now I have a car that makes a sound when I leave the lights on…
ReplyDeleteLeslie - Yeah, I should stop being cheap and get CAA LOL.
ReplyDeleteBrie - LOL. At least, you could laugh :)
My car makes noises for the headlights and if I forget my key, but not that inside light...
And it's good you learn! I think now I can handle it all :)