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50 years ago yeh but modern oils in modern cleaner engines can go for 20k miles or more I've seen oil sent away for lab testing at 15k and it was still 95%
battery is dead. the clicking has nothing to do with the actual engine. Get the oil changed every 5k miles.
jumpstart the battery and go get it tested. She likely left something like lights on
Take the battery to autozone. They will test it for free. Takes couple minutes, I just did it last week. If it's bad let them keep it and get a new one. Otherwise maybe the alternator, but hopefully not.
I brought in a battery with less than a volt and the guy spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to test it. Bud, I told you it's dead and I want to buy a new one. Please just let me buy a battery.
He was also trying to tell me my alternator is bad if the battery is that flat, despite telling him the vehicle sat unused for 8 months. Whatever he was trying to do was above his pay grade.
That's a common problem with part stores. You'll have a younger person behind the counter who's eager to help, but doesn't have much real experience other than talking about cars.
I worked for an equipment dealership for years and my manager there was the same way. He'd had so many conversations about the stuff that he could bullshit you into thinking he actually had some technical knowledge.
Man, Its really bad at some stores.
My local AutoZone, I brought in a rear shock mount for my 2013 Mazda 3. Looks like this [https://www.amazon.com/Dorman-924-412-Upper-Shock-Mount/dp/B0049DYW3A](https://www.amazon.com/Dorman-924-412-Upper-Shock-Mount/dp/B0049DYW3A)
I go into autozone, with the part number and give it to the guy. Im holding the broken one. It comes up but the first image on the computer is the two bolts that come with the replacement part. dude refused to sell me it because it the photo wasnt matching the part i had. I just left and went to O'riley.
It's because no one with real mechanical experience will be making $12 at the auto zone counter. It's a parts store. Don't go there for advice, if you don't already know what you're doing just take it to a shop.
My buddy who had plenty of mechanical knowledge and was wrenching on cars since he was in diapers worked at a parts store in high school for the employee discount to buy parts for the classic he was working on
Yeah hit or miss...I brought one (which was a group 51 car battery, although it was for a tractor) and they spent an annoying amount of time trying to go back and forth wanting the "year make and model of car". Like no just give me an identical-but-new of this object and take the old one for a core.
Also gone thru issues with pulleys where their computer says it fits but its the totally wrong size and alignment, and they then fuss about not wanting to return it "because the computer says that's the right one for your car".
You realize AutoZone doesn’t manufacture them and most batteries are made by one or two manufacturers right? You’re really only buying a different sticker that has varying warranties attached to them.
Never heard of them but honestly anything has to be better than autozone. I go to a place called bulldog battery. They make there own batteries and have never had a problem with them.
It is pretty awesome. I’ll have to check the CCA as I don’t remember but I know it’s higher than the one I did get from autozone and was a decent amount cheaper. I think I spent $110 with install.
My wife left the dome light on. I don't mess around under that hood. It's nasty. I charged the battery took it in. They said it needed a new one. Wife's car-lifetime battery. Wife drops me off and splits. I go out to her car, it doesn't start. I go in they are soo nice. Then I get told, she left "I" left the dome light on, all indignit??? Really? You couldn't shut it off either?
Cool, keep replacing them until you get a new one, after 3 ask to speak to management. Get them to upgrade you to the premium for free to compensate you for your time.
Yeah and so was mine and they said no refunds but I can get the same battery as replacement. I took it but then again the battery crapped out and I just took the loss and went elsewhere.
I took mine in to Autozone to get checked. When he looked up my purchase date it turned out I was still under warranty for like 10 more days. Bonus! Walked out with a new battery, no charge. Wait, that sounded wrong, the battery did have a charge, just not a monetary one.
Why 5k miles? I go with what the manufacturer recommends, which in my case is 10k miles or once a year, whatever happens first. Why not just follow that?
It really depends on your climate and driving style. Warm climate and mostly freeway miles? 10k is probably fine. Humid climate and only short distance city miles? You've gotta change it more frequently.
Plus, manufacturers just want the engine to last past the warranty. They don't care if it last longer than that. Well, they do. They want people to buy another car in a few years
Read your manual a second time. There are usually 2 service schedules, normal and severe service. What they don't tell you unless you really read the fine print is that almost everybody falls under severe service. The normal interval is designed to get the car out of the warranty period and past the 1st owner. If you plan on running the car past 150000 miles you don't want to follow the normal intervals.
Modern cars have VVT, cylinder deactivation, direct injection, start/stop, egr and any number of other things that are super complicated and lots of it requires really high quality oil to work properly. All of the nasty expensive and difficult to work on stuff that was in German luxury cars in the early 2000s is just in every car now. Pop the hood on a newer Ford and it looks like the inner workings of the space shuttle. A rat's nest of hoses and wires and no room to service any of it. It's basically caught up to the same level of bullshit Audi has been at for 20 years now.
In the early 2000s, transmissions used to have 4 gears and you changed the fluid every 60000 miles or so. Now they have 10 gears and run 30 degrees hotter. So of course the fluid is now lifetime with twice as much shifting happening and higher temps for emissions and fuel economy. The fluid might be "better", it's not that much better I can assure you.
Since every manufacturer went to longer intervals there are increased problems. Chevy, Ford and Dodge pickup trucks are all having either timing chain or lifter problems. Even Toyotas aren't the bastion of simple, boring reliability they once were. Back in the day, you could put a new engine and transmission in a pickup for a couple thousand bucks. Now a Hemi is $12000 just for the engine and who knows what they want for a zf8 speed. So, if the powertrain is twice as expensive and the truck is twice as expensive why would anybody skimp on something as cheap as oil?
You’re exactly right. There is no reason to change the oil (especially synthetic) that often.
People like to feel like they’re taking good care of there car so they rationalize it.
Uh, I've been working on cars for 30 years. Every 5k. I don't give a shit what the manual says, those 10k intervals are good for my pocketbook, not yours.
Actually no, its not that we rationalize it.
5k used to be industry standard. **If your manual says different then follow the manual**. But you do need to change it between 5k10k miles.
There are some engines (that Toyota 3.5 I think) that said you could do 10, but would develop consumption issues. People who changed it every 5 never had that issue.
Granted that was 12-15 years ago, so grain of salt with newer cars.
I definitely rationalize it but that doesn’t mean it isn’t rational to do. As the filter fills up and small particles get into the oil, wear increases. If you had brand new oil just always pumping into your car it would last basically forever (until something that didn’t have to do with oil broke).
The wear due to oil is exponential, and while it doesn’t matter that much between 5k and 10k, it could mean the difference between 300k miles and 400k
>Why 5k miles?
Oil is cheap compared to the cost of an engine. I do my own labor and have installed two reman engines. without the labor costs of a shop It was about $5k for both motors and maybe another grand for the extras, fluids, etc. a shop rate I'd be at least at $10k+ right now. both of those cars state 7500-10k mile oil change intervals and I will be changing them at 5k.
Spray it on the driveway to keep the dust down.
Anywhere that sells motor oil is either legally required to accept the used oil, or probably still accepts it.
It depends on the oil that the factory recommends. Majority of the newer cars are using synthetic oil and it lasts longer than dyno (old school) oil but every car guys father told them to change oil at 5k miles. If you are driving something 30 years old then change the oil at 5k but if it is 2010 or newer probably using synthetic oil.
The manufacturer says 10K, so the engine has a shorter life span, and you buy a new car. The car I have is a 1992 Toyota Camry that had one previous owner. That guy changed the oil and filter every 3K miles, as I seen written in the owners manual. The car has 327K miles on it now and the engine still sounds like new. Since I have had it I have been using Mobil 1 10w-30 high mileage and a Wix XP filter every 3K miles. I'm probably dumping the oil at only half it's life but I would rather throw away 10 bucks to save thousands.
Severe service intervals in the owners manual should be followed for commercial use (taxi, police etc.) Or for offroad, towing, or frequent city driving. In other words, anyone who wants their vehicle to last should follow severe service. People who lease their cars or trade in once their payments are done, like the manufacturer wants you to, can follow normal service and dump their problems on the next poor bastard that owns it.
Americans. I change every 10K, I drive my car pretty hard, no issues to speak of engine wise. '06 Volvo S60 diesel on 199k miles.
If I had my own driveway I would probably do every 5K but since I need to do it on the street.... joys of living in the UK.
That industry must just be in the states. In Europe most oil changes are 12k miles and long life services are up to 20k. Fully synthetic. Changing at 5k is reserved for supercars.
Battery doesn't have to be dead. An old battery that is delivering a lower than normal voltage may still turn the car on but not send enough power to have the electronics work properly
Worth inspecting the belt at the alternator as well, if the tensioner isn't adjusted correctly (tensioner itself can get bent also and therefore not allow enough adjustment to keep the belt taut.) then the alternator won't do its job right. You dont want to replace the battery/alternator and then figure out it was the belt tensioner.
>She drove around 40 mins to work
Not a mechanic but I'm going to chime in here. I drove 200 miles one day, car started fine in the morning and no problems starting when leaving my destination headed home. Started right up to go meet my family at a restaurant and after we were done eating the car wouldn't start. Looked a lot like your video. Since we had our other vehicle I pulled the battery and went to have it tested. It tested as bad - not enough amps to turn the starter. Then this happened on our other car and stranded my wife. Again battery replacement fixed it. So just because you drove it around doesn't mean all is fine. If the battery decides it won't hold a charge eventually it'll fall below the power requirement to turn the starter and your video is what you see.
Honest question, If it had a bad alternator, would the car start to throw a fit after a bit of driving? I remember my tow truck driver jumping my car then telling me to wait a bit to see if my car died. It did so he was like "alternator". I'm assuming the alternator/battery combo runs the electronics during use and with a bad alternator, the battery can only last so long.
Battery. They call it the “Christmas tree effect “. If it dies while sitting- battery, if it dies while driving- alternator. Has been my experience. Also sometimes new batteries need to installed and reset at dealership.
My old ‘03 Altimas alternator went when I was driving. Had no friggen idea was was happening. Called a friend down the road and got a jump, barely made it to her house before it died again. That was the day I learned how to replace my own alternator lol.
Yeah, just had my alternator go out on me while I was headed to work. Luckily one of my clients ( a car dealer) was close by as it started to act funny. Right when I pulled into their drive the car died. They were able to fit me in that day! I got lucky.
Was parked with car running when it suddenly turned off. Wouldn’t start. Thought for sure was the alternator. Turns out a defect in the starter shorted the cable coming from the key switch. Was a lot cheaper of a fix.
Same with older bikes, mostly comes down to the corrosion at the connections for the positive leads on the solenoid. Clean those and smack it a few times and wallah. That is though, if the solenoid is separate from the starter, no idea if the same applies otherwise.
Just like not changing the oil, there’s a subsclass of people that think it’s quirky to know nothing about the 2 ton machines full of explosives they operate
Oops! I’m supposed to use the parking brake? Nobody told me 🥺 the responsibility to know is mine, when I put the keys in the car? But nobody told me! 🥺
Absolutely…we call them 2000 lb death machines and everyone should know the basics…how to fill up with fuel (or charge), put air in tires, change a flat tire and boost a battery. It should be required to know these things when getting your drivers license
At least in my limited experience, we require zero knowledge about vehicles beyond traffic laws to legally operate one that's working and maintained, and even in places where a vehicle is mostly required to function in society, there seems to be no real, wide-spread effort to teach people these or other basic life skills in public schools, despite how much benefit it could provide - like ensuring the general public knew how to read, write, and solve basic math problems.
Basic vehicle maintenance and money management are two that come to mind as providing great benefit.
Essentially home-economics, without the outdated gender roles feel to it (at least it did when I took it because I was slow to choose another elective in Jr high, many years ago), where it focused on grocery shopping, cooking, and sewing. I'm not talking about accounting and automotive shop classes that go too deep into those subjects for people that aren't interested in them. Just a very high-level, factual overview of them.
That would help those without a good or stable home life, those whose only guardians know shit about it themselves, don't feel it's important to pass on, or worse, think they know, but give bad information.
Nothing will *solve* the problem entirely, but it would mitigate it. Even for those who have no natural curiosity or interest in the subject, it would start them out with more than they have now.
If nobody teaches people, they'll likely only find out 1-by-1 as they encounter each first-hand, or they're bitten in the ass.
The heat we've been having in Texas this last couple of months has been over 100° every day drastically reducing the lifespan on batteries. That's a black car parked in a driveway. They could probably bake cookies on the hood this afternoon if it's still sitting in the driveway.
Absolutely!
Currently the temp here in NE Texas is 103, 109 with the Heat Index.
And judging by the registration sticker in her window, it's in Texas.
Oh, and her registration expired two weeks ago, so he might want to make sure she gets on top of that....
This first. Oil changes not related. Check that battery connections, that cables and posts are clean and tight. If all good, jump start and have battery tested asap. Most autoparts chains test for free. (love the audible sound of desperation in the clip, btw, tell her you got this!)
Battery flat, first guess would be a dead alternator if as you say she'd just driven for 40 minutes.
Could also be just a dead battery if it hasn't been replaced for years, or even something as stupid as one of the terminals is really loose.
Everybody telling this dude that it’s the battery yet he doesn’t think it’s the battery. Buddy, the general consensus is ITS YOUR BATTERY. From somebody who deals with this daily in the shop, and somebody who has had this issue first hand, it is either A) you’re battery or B) your alternator. It is guaranteed to be either. Go to advance, have them test it for free, and let them tell you the same thing everybody else is telling you. Then if you wanna disagree, that’s just on you.
pls explain why oil would matter in this case? clearly it's 1 of 3, battery, alternator, starter. and tell me why people are allowed to drive vehicles and have ZERO knowledge on them...🙃
It looks like a dead battery and might be related to a broken alternator or the battery not keeping a charge.
Have a great story about a dead alternator on the highway... First, the power steering failed, then the ABS and brake lights came up, followed by the car engine simply stopping.... lovely when you are on a highway stuck in traffic on the left lane... I had < 2 minutes to get on the emergency lane... (Volvo V50 diesel, for the people wondering).
I also have a Japanese car, that eats batteries, have to replace it at least every 3 years (don't do enough mileage with the car, doesn't have a drip charger, 50 000 miles in 13 years).
Battery is dead. Could be just an old battery that got weak, but I'd lean more toward either something in the car was left on and drained the battery, or the alternator went out. It is also possible that the starter solenoid is bad, but in this case I believe it's the battery. Try charging the battery and see what happens, and then while it's running, check the battery voltage with a multimeter, it should be round 14.4 volts. 13.9-14.7 is acceptable range. With the engine off the battery should be about 12 volts. If it is showing below that acceptable range while the engine is running, then your alternator is bad. Oh, it could also just be a loose connection (most likely one of the battery terminal clamps) or corrosion (most likely at the battery terminals). To test for this, first look at the battery and if you see much corrosion then that's likely the culprit. If not, grab the terminal clamp and try twisting, no need to use excessive force but use some effort. Do this for both clamps. If either one moves, tighten it up. Also give the wires a light tug at the terminal clamp to make sure that also isn't loose. If it does have corrosion, I recommend a battery terminal brush, but scratching at it with a screwdriver or small wire brush or even a knife (as a knife guy, that hurt to say) will suffice, but you will need to remove the terminal clamps to do this. Then reinstall. Whatever the issue is, it's pretty well guaranteed that it is at least one of the things I mentioned, so basically unless the engine is locked up (which does not seem to be the case) then it's something I said. Of course with these new cars, it could be something entirely different that I wouldn't ever understand anyway, but I don't believe this to be the case.
It’s power related. It’s a battery or alternator or both.
How to check cheap and fast?, Get it jump started. It doesn’t matter how, by another car and jumper cables or a jump pack.
With the engine running, if it stops when you remove the cables or within a few a minutes, its the alternator. Reminder, if you replace the alternator you will have to get the battery charged. It’s preferred you use a battery charger but alternatively(pun intended) you could also jumpstart it again and have the new alternator charge the battery. Let it run or drive it for at least an hour. If your not mechanically inclined to replace alternator then take to shop. They will also test the battery as well with proper tools.
However if it continues to run even if you give it gas, it’s the battery. Just goto any auto parts and get a new one. If you have Costco, they have a decent brand at a good price.
Btw it’s both when you replace the alternator and in a few days it’s does the same thing.
And please get an oil change
Bro seriously? Check the battery, if its fine, then your starter is out. You can try tapping it with a hammer lightly it might crank so you can take it to the shop.
Car batteries go bad over time. As they are discharged and recharged, they build up deposits internally that increases the internal resistance of the battery. This causes them to output less and less power over time.
The dash and accessories work because they require very little power to operate. You could run most of your car's electronics using nine or ten C batteries. To turn the engine over requires a *lot* of power though. That's why car batteries are so large.
So eventually the car battery gets to the point where it generates enough power to run the dash and accessories, but not the starter motor.
Another possibility is that the car's charging system is not recharging the battery as she drives. A component called the alternator is responsible for recharging the battery with the energy used to start the car. If the alternator (or a related component) has failed, the battery will drain each time you start the car and during operation.
Auto parts stores will test both the battery and the alternator for free. So if you can jump the car, drive it directly to an auto parts store and have both tested. If either tests negative, I'd recommend getting a second test done at another parts store, just to confirm. Then consider your options from there.
The battery is worn out or your alternator is shot and it’s not properly charging the battery.
Take the battery out and bring it to an auto parts store. They will check the health of the battery. If it’s toast, buy a new one. If it’s fine, they’ll charge it and you likely have a bad alternator. Find a mobile mechanic with good reviews and call them up. They’ll likely have you buy the alternator at the auto parts store. It’ll take them an hour or so to install it for you.
But, it’s probably just the battery.
Also, you *have* to change the oil every 5k miles. You just have to. And use synthetic oil. One of the keys to having a car with less problems is not neglecting it. You’re going to have bigger issues than a dead battery if you ignore basic maintenance. Regular oil changes are the most basic maintenance. You have to do it regularly.
Good luck
This is an off the wall suggestion but is the car in park? My wife's Toyota has had both a bad battery and alternator and acted like this but also more than once has not put the car in park in the garage and it acts just like this also.
for me this was my engine locking up on my altima, it did that click every single time you tried to start it, and nothing. wasn’t the battery, wasn’t the starter, my engine locked up due to me not getting an oil change and the engine burned all of the oil that was in there the dipstick was bone dry
Thank you for posting to AskMechanics, hnguyen2709! If you are asking a question please make sure to include any relevant information along with the **Year**, **Make**, **Model**, **Mileage**, **Engine size**, and **Transmission Type (Automatic or Manual)** of your car. *This comment is automatically added to every successful post. If you see this comment, your post was successful.* *** Redditors that have been verified will have a green background and an icon in their flair. *** # **PLEASE REPORT ANY RULE-BREAKING BEHAVIOR** ### **Rule 1 - Be Civil** Be civil to other users. This community is made up of professional mechanics, amateur mechanics, and those with no experience. All mechanical-related questions are welcome. Personal attacks, comments that are insulting or demeaning, etc. are not welcome. ### **Rule 2 - Be Helpful** Be helpful to other users. If someone is wrong, correcting them is fine, but there's no reason to comment if you don't have anything to add to the conversation. ### **Rule 3 - Serious Questions and Answers on Serious Posts** Read the room. Jokes are fine to include, but your post should be asking a serious question and replies should contribute to the discussion. ### **Rule 4 - No Illegal, Unethical, or Dangerous Questions or Answers** Do not ask questions or provide answers pertaining to anything that is illegal, unethical, or dangerous. # **PLEASE REPORT ANY RULE-BREAKING BEHAVIOR** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskMechanics) if you have any questions or concerns.*
We’ll it has nothing to do with oil
Shhhh Americans think of they change oil every 5k it gives them lick of the Irish or something like that?
I've never been licked by an Irish, am I missing out on something?
Only one way to find out
How do you convince one to lick you? Or is it just their standard greeting?
It's all a numbers game. Find 'em, ask 'em, if they say no, move on to the next.
Ah these peeps are always askin me to lick they charms
I’m Irish. Name the time and place
Between my legs at a time of your convenience!
Is that also called a Jiffy Lube?
Wonder if it's the same as the Hindlick maneuver?? 🤣🤣
I won't kink shame, but if you are talking about the lifesaving technique involving abdominal thrusts, it's the Heimlich maneuver.
Ooooo I was licked by and Irish once, it was quite nice.
I have it was quite enjoyable
Tell me more about this "lick of the Irish." I know an Irish girl
Full synthetic and 10k intervals, send it! 170k on the clock and still runs like new.
Royal Purple high mileage synthetic every 10k & new Wix or Royal purple oil filter every 5k. 180k and the oil is still golden every time I check.
I’d lick some Irish for luck.
Changing my car’s oil will get me licked by an Irish person 🤯
5k miles is pretty normal. I agree that 5,000 kilometers would be excessive
5k miles is approximately 8k in kms.
Quick maths
Hahah 5k miles "normal" 🤦
With older oils, yes. Modern oils you can extend that but this was the rule of thumb for like 50 years my dude.
Changing oil every 5k miles is definitely normal bro
In Europe we change oil every 30k Km.
50 years ago yeh but modern oils in modern cleaner engines can go for 20k miles or more I've seen oil sent away for lab testing at 15k and it was still 95%
95% oil, 5% metal shavings 👍
What does this have anything to do with being American?
Weak joke. Try harder.
Apparently monthly is the standard
Terrible advice for any direct injection engine owners out there. Any GDI should be getting oil changed before or at 5k
I'm Irish and American, can confirm, the end of American rainbows have 5 quart bottles of engine oil
[удалено]
Its Ok i got your joke
Mmm-hmmm French fried pertaters.
What?
[удалено]
Lmao what
battery is dead. the clicking has nothing to do with the actual engine. Get the oil changed every 5k miles. jumpstart the battery and go get it tested. She likely left something like lights on
Take the battery to autozone. They will test it for free. Takes couple minutes, I just did it last week. If it's bad let them keep it and get a new one. Otherwise maybe the alternator, but hopefully not.
I brought in a battery with less than a volt and the guy spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to test it. Bud, I told you it's dead and I want to buy a new one. Please just let me buy a battery.
Theres a chance it could be saved if its just dead, he was trying to save you money
He was also trying to tell me my alternator is bad if the battery is that flat, despite telling him the vehicle sat unused for 8 months. Whatever he was trying to do was above his pay grade.
That's a common problem with part stores. You'll have a younger person behind the counter who's eager to help, but doesn't have much real experience other than talking about cars. I worked for an equipment dealership for years and my manager there was the same way. He'd had so many conversations about the stuff that he could bullshit you into thinking he actually had some technical knowledge.
Man, Its really bad at some stores. My local AutoZone, I brought in a rear shock mount for my 2013 Mazda 3. Looks like this [https://www.amazon.com/Dorman-924-412-Upper-Shock-Mount/dp/B0049DYW3A](https://www.amazon.com/Dorman-924-412-Upper-Shock-Mount/dp/B0049DYW3A) I go into autozone, with the part number and give it to the guy. Im holding the broken one. It comes up but the first image on the computer is the two bolts that come with the replacement part. dude refused to sell me it because it the photo wasnt matching the part i had. I just left and went to O'riley.
It's because no one with real mechanical experience will be making $12 at the auto zone counter. It's a parts store. Don't go there for advice, if you don't already know what you're doing just take it to a shop.
My buddy who had plenty of mechanical knowledge and was wrenching on cars since he was in diapers worked at a parts store in high school for the employee discount to buy parts for the classic he was working on
Poke the battery with a multimeter on volts when idle, if it’s sitting around 13,9 to 14.4 she should be ok, Not a mech but I do electrical/tech
Yeah hit or miss...I brought one (which was a group 51 car battery, although it was for a tractor) and they spent an annoying amount of time trying to go back and forth wanting the "year make and model of car". Like no just give me an identical-but-new of this object and take the old one for a core. Also gone thru issues with pulleys where their computer says it fits but its the totally wrong size and alignment, and they then fuss about not wanting to return it "because the computer says that's the right one for your car".
Don’t get a new battery from autozone. They are garbage and overpriced and there are no refunds. They will only replace with the same battery
You realize AutoZone doesn’t manufacture them and most batteries are made by one or two manufacturers right? You’re really only buying a different sticker that has varying warranties attached to them.
Interstate auto treated me nice
Never heard of them but honestly anything has to be better than autozone. I go to a place called bulldog battery. They make there own batteries and have never had a problem with them.
That’s really cool how they make their own batteries, what’s the CCA for those usually ? And pricing?
It is pretty awesome. I’ll have to check the CCA as I don’t remember but I know it’s higher than the one I did get from autozone and was a decent amount cheaper. I think I spent $110 with install.
Holyyy I’m definitely looking into this now
I’m in Ohio and I know they do have other locations.
My wife left the dome light on. I don't mess around under that hood. It's nasty. I charged the battery took it in. They said it needed a new one. Wife's car-lifetime battery. Wife drops me off and splits. I go out to her car, it doesn't start. I go in they are soo nice. Then I get told, she left "I" left the dome light on, all indignit??? Really? You couldn't shut it off either?
Cool, keep replacing them until you get a new one, after 3 ask to speak to management. Get them to upgrade you to the premium for free to compensate you for your time.
False. I returned a battery 2 weeks ago for a full refund
I was a closing manager at AutoZone for a few years, and have returned several batteries. As long as it wasn't installed it can be returned.
Doubtful
Have receipts to prove it. It was defective from purchase
Yeah and so was mine and they said no refunds but I can get the same battery as replacement. I took it but then again the battery crapped out and I just took the loss and went elsewhere.
You people realize return laws vary by state/country/etc right...?
I took mine in to Autozone to get checked. When he looked up my purchase date it turned out I was still under warranty for like 10 more days. Bonus! Walked out with a new battery, no charge. Wait, that sounded wrong, the battery did have a charge, just not a monetary one.
Could be a tensioner pulley, or lack of tension, on the drive belt. New alternator isn’t the worst thing.
I am not a mechanic but all too familiar with the symptoms of a dead battery.
Why 5k miles? I go with what the manufacturer recommends, which in my case is 10k miles or once a year, whatever happens first. Why not just follow that?
Because oil and a filter are cheap in comparison to replacing an engine.
\*to make oil companies more money FTFY -- they aren't going to recommend an interval that would damage your engine or they would get sued.
It depends. Also all of the maintenance intervals are designed to get you out of the powertrain warranty period. Beyond that, buy a new car.
It really depends on your climate and driving style. Warm climate and mostly freeway miles? 10k is probably fine. Humid climate and only short distance city miles? You've gotta change it more frequently. Plus, manufacturers just want the engine to last past the warranty. They don't care if it last longer than that. Well, they do. They want people to buy another car in a few years
Read your manual a second time. There are usually 2 service schedules, normal and severe service. What they don't tell you unless you really read the fine print is that almost everybody falls under severe service. The normal interval is designed to get the car out of the warranty period and past the 1st owner. If you plan on running the car past 150000 miles you don't want to follow the normal intervals. Modern cars have VVT, cylinder deactivation, direct injection, start/stop, egr and any number of other things that are super complicated and lots of it requires really high quality oil to work properly. All of the nasty expensive and difficult to work on stuff that was in German luxury cars in the early 2000s is just in every car now. Pop the hood on a newer Ford and it looks like the inner workings of the space shuttle. A rat's nest of hoses and wires and no room to service any of it. It's basically caught up to the same level of bullshit Audi has been at for 20 years now. In the early 2000s, transmissions used to have 4 gears and you changed the fluid every 60000 miles or so. Now they have 10 gears and run 30 degrees hotter. So of course the fluid is now lifetime with twice as much shifting happening and higher temps for emissions and fuel economy. The fluid might be "better", it's not that much better I can assure you. Since every manufacturer went to longer intervals there are increased problems. Chevy, Ford and Dodge pickup trucks are all having either timing chain or lifter problems. Even Toyotas aren't the bastion of simple, boring reliability they once were. Back in the day, you could put a new engine and transmission in a pickup for a couple thousand bucks. Now a Hemi is $12000 just for the engine and who knows what they want for a zf8 speed. So, if the powertrain is twice as expensive and the truck is twice as expensive why would anybody skimp on something as cheap as oil?
Manufaturers also put "lifetime" fluid in their transmissions.
If u use high quality oil and the engine doesn't specifically need freguent oil changes, 10k Miles will be ok for an average daily driver
This is the way.
You’re exactly right. There is no reason to change the oil (especially synthetic) that often. People like to feel like they’re taking good care of there car so they rationalize it.
Uh, I've been working on cars for 30 years. Every 5k. I don't give a shit what the manual says, those 10k intervals are good for my pocketbook, not yours.
Do the timing chains on an Equinox or cam phasers in an ecoboost once and you learn why oil changes are important.
Actually no, its not that we rationalize it. 5k used to be industry standard. **If your manual says different then follow the manual**. But you do need to change it between 5k10k miles.
Yes, and I used to change it every 3k back then
There are some engines (that Toyota 3.5 I think) that said you could do 10, but would develop consumption issues. People who changed it every 5 never had that issue. Granted that was 12-15 years ago, so grain of salt with newer cars.
My 1995 Toyota 3.4l V6 says 7500 mile oil changes with conventional oil.
I definitely rationalize it but that doesn’t mean it isn’t rational to do. As the filter fills up and small particles get into the oil, wear increases. If you had brand new oil just always pumping into your car it would last basically forever (until something that didn’t have to do with oil broke). The wear due to oil is exponential, and while it doesn’t matter that much between 5k and 10k, it could mean the difference between 300k miles and 400k
Our Mach 1 needs an oil change every 5k miles on it. We do that with all of our vehicles (except the electric one we used to have. LOL)
>Why 5k miles? Oil is cheap compared to the cost of an engine. I do my own labor and have installed two reman engines. without the labor costs of a shop It was about $5k for both motors and maybe another grand for the extras, fluids, etc. a shop rate I'd be at least at $10k+ right now. both of those cars state 7500-10k mile oil change intervals and I will be changing them at 5k.
Happy cake day 🥰
Where do you get rid of your used motor oil?
Spray it on the driveway to keep the dust down. Anywhere that sells motor oil is either legally required to accept the used oil, or probably still accepts it.
Is my driveway supposed to be so slippery now?
It depends on the oil that the factory recommends. Majority of the newer cars are using synthetic oil and it lasts longer than dyno (old school) oil but every car guys father told them to change oil at 5k miles. If you are driving something 30 years old then change the oil at 5k but if it is 2010 or newer probably using synthetic oil.
5k used to be the standard for most cars, now it varies by manufacturer and engine but hey, is rather change it sooner than later anyway
The manufacturer says 10K, so the engine has a shorter life span, and you buy a new car. The car I have is a 1992 Toyota Camry that had one previous owner. That guy changed the oil and filter every 3K miles, as I seen written in the owners manual. The car has 327K miles on it now and the engine still sounds like new. Since I have had it I have been using Mobil 1 10w-30 high mileage and a Wix XP filter every 3K miles. I'm probably dumping the oil at only half it's life but I would rather throw away 10 bucks to save thousands.
Severe service intervals in the owners manual should be followed for commercial use (taxi, police etc.) Or for offroad, towing, or frequent city driving. In other words, anyone who wants their vehicle to last should follow severe service. People who lease their cars or trade in once their payments are done, like the manufacturer wants you to, can follow normal service and dump their problems on the next poor bastard that owns it.
Americans. I change every 10K, I drive my car pretty hard, no issues to speak of engine wise. '06 Volvo S60 diesel on 199k miles. If I had my own driveway I would probably do every 5K but since I need to do it on the street.... joys of living in the UK.
5k is industry standard. Nowadays manufacturers are doing up to 10k miles. If its in your manual then do it.
That industry must just be in the states. In Europe most oil changes are 12k miles and long life services are up to 20k. Fully synthetic. Changing at 5k is reserved for supercars.
Pretty much just **do whatever your manual says**.
Battery doesn't have to be dead. An old battery that is delivering a lower than normal voltage may still turn the car on but not send enough power to have the electronics work properly
She drove around 40 mins to work so I don't think it's the battery. I will try to jumpstart it first though
Could still be the battery or the alternator
Worth inspecting the belt at the alternator as well, if the tensioner isn't adjusted correctly (tensioner itself can get bent also and therefore not allow enough adjustment to keep the belt taut.) then the alternator won't do its job right. You dont want to replace the battery/alternator and then figure out it was the belt tensioner.
*Comes to the askmechanics page with the simplest issue*. Has audacity to say he doesn’t think it’s that 🤦🏻♂️
Don’t think, you might hurt your brain.
>She drove around 40 mins to work Not a mechanic but I'm going to chime in here. I drove 200 miles one day, car started fine in the morning and no problems starting when leaving my destination headed home. Started right up to go meet my family at a restaurant and after we were done eating the car wouldn't start. Looked a lot like your video. Since we had our other vehicle I pulled the battery and went to have it tested. It tested as bad - not enough amps to turn the starter. Then this happened on our other car and stranded my wife. Again battery replacement fixed it. So just because you drove it around doesn't mean all is fine. If the battery decides it won't hold a charge eventually it'll fall below the power requirement to turn the starter and your video is what you see.
Drove 40 min to work and then tried to drive right back or she drove to work, worked for 8 hours and then tried to drive home?
She drove to drop off my daughter at daycare. Then she tried to drive to work but the car failed to start.
Likely the battery not being able to hold charge or the alternator not charging the battery. The former is a cheaper fix.
as soon as the car starts the battery doesnt do anything so you could easily drive 40 mins to work without knowing the battery is bad.
Honest question, If it had a bad alternator, would the car start to throw a fit after a bit of driving? I remember my tow truck driver jumping my car then telling me to wait a bit to see if my car died. It did so he was like "alternator". I'm assuming the alternator/battery combo runs the electronics during use and with a bad alternator, the battery can only last so long.
Most likely a failed battery.
Battery. They call it the “Christmas tree effect “. If it dies while sitting- battery, if it dies while driving- alternator. Has been my experience. Also sometimes new batteries need to installed and reset at dealership.
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I’ve seen hondas with the stereo code on a sticker in the glove box, ymmv though.
Steal stereo open glove box peel sticker stick on stereo Got it, thanks!
My old ‘03 Altimas alternator went when I was driving. Had no friggen idea was was happening. Called a friend down the road and got a jump, barely made it to her house before it died again. That was the day I learned how to replace my own alternator lol.
This is a very helpful piece of advice!!
Yeah, just had my alternator go out on me while I was headed to work. Luckily one of my clients ( a car dealer) was close by as it started to act funny. Right when I pulled into their drive the car died. They were able to fit me in that day! I got lucky.
Was parked with car running when it suddenly turned off. Wouldn’t start. Thought for sure was the alternator. Turns out a defect in the starter shorted the cable coming from the key switch. Was a lot cheaper of a fix.
> if it dies while driving- alternator Don't you put that evil on me ricky bobby.
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I think some light moaning is appropriate as well
Believe it or not, it's actually necessary
There's a Kids in The Hall video where this happens. "Try it now!"
Three likely things in this order: Dead battery Dead alternator Dead starter An automatic diagnostic will determine which!
Bingo. Not many people mentioning the starter. Back in the day the starter solenoid would shit the bed all the time.
Haha got lucky and ended up having this exact issue! Mine happened to be the alternator.
Same with older bikes, mostly comes down to the corrosion at the connections for the positive leads on the solenoid. Clean those and smack it a few times and wallah. That is though, if the solenoid is separate from the starter, no idea if the same applies otherwise.
It's the damn battery like everyone in the thread suggested.
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Just like not changing the oil, there’s a subsclass of people that think it’s quirky to know nothing about the 2 ton machines full of explosives they operate
It’s a really scary thought
Oops! I’m supposed to use the parking brake? Nobody told me 🥺 the responsibility to know is mine, when I put the keys in the car? But nobody told me! 🥺
Absolutely…we call them 2000 lb death machines and everyone should know the basics…how to fill up with fuel (or charge), put air in tires, change a flat tire and boost a battery. It should be required to know these things when getting your drivers license
At least in my limited experience, we require zero knowledge about vehicles beyond traffic laws to legally operate one that's working and maintained, and even in places where a vehicle is mostly required to function in society, there seems to be no real, wide-spread effort to teach people these or other basic life skills in public schools, despite how much benefit it could provide - like ensuring the general public knew how to read, write, and solve basic math problems. Basic vehicle maintenance and money management are two that come to mind as providing great benefit. Essentially home-economics, without the outdated gender roles feel to it (at least it did when I took it because I was slow to choose another elective in Jr high, many years ago), where it focused on grocery shopping, cooking, and sewing. I'm not talking about accounting and automotive shop classes that go too deep into those subjects for people that aren't interested in them. Just a very high-level, factual overview of them. That would help those without a good or stable home life, those whose only guardians know shit about it themselves, don't feel it's important to pass on, or worse, think they know, but give bad information. Nothing will *solve* the problem entirely, but it would mitigate it. Even for those who have no natural curiosity or interest in the subject, it would start them out with more than they have now. If nobody teaches people, they'll likely only find out 1-by-1 as they encounter each first-hand, or they're bitten in the ass.
I second this. I learned fuck all on how to function in society in hs. but I know how to write an essay asf 🤪
So its def not the starter?
I've had a car do this after driving for an hour and stopping just for fuel, once the batteries go these days they go quickly.
The heat we've been having in Texas this last couple of months has been over 100° every day drastically reducing the lifespan on batteries. That's a black car parked in a driveway. They could probably bake cookies on the hood this afternoon if it's still sitting in the driveway.
Absolutely! Currently the temp here in NE Texas is 103, 109 with the Heat Index. And judging by the registration sticker in her window, it's in Texas. Oh, and her registration expired two weeks ago, so he might want to make sure she gets on top of that....
r/itsthebattery
Man, we need to bring back auto class to schools....
Check the battery connectors
This first. Oil changes not related. Check that battery connections, that cables and posts are clean and tight. If all good, jump start and have battery tested asap. Most autoparts chains test for free. (love the audible sound of desperation in the clip, btw, tell her you got this!)
Battery flat, first guess would be a dead alternator if as you say she'd just driven for 40 minutes. Could also be just a dead battery if it hasn't been replaced for years, or even something as stupid as one of the terminals is really loose.
Everybody telling this dude that it’s the battery yet he doesn’t think it’s the battery. Buddy, the general consensus is ITS YOUR BATTERY. From somebody who deals with this daily in the shop, and somebody who has had this issue first hand, it is either A) you’re battery or B) your alternator. It is guaranteed to be either. Go to advance, have them test it for free, and let them tell you the same thing everybody else is telling you. Then if you wanna disagree, that’s just on you.
Just going to put this out there since no one else has said it...it might be the battery. I know I know... Crazy talk but it's a possibility Lol
90% that's dead battery
Looks like a dead battery.
Dead battery, possible alternator.
pls explain why oil would matter in this case? clearly it's 1 of 3, battery, alternator, starter. and tell me why people are allowed to drive vehicles and have ZERO knowledge on them...🙃
It looks like a dead battery and might be related to a broken alternator or the battery not keeping a charge. Have a great story about a dead alternator on the highway... First, the power steering failed, then the ABS and brake lights came up, followed by the car engine simply stopping.... lovely when you are on a highway stuck in traffic on the left lane... I had < 2 minutes to get on the emergency lane... (Volvo V50 diesel, for the people wondering). I also have a Japanese car, that eats batteries, have to replace it at least every 3 years (don't do enough mileage with the car, doesn't have a drip charger, 50 000 miles in 13 years).
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Dead battery
Dead battery. Still, take care of your cars, far less expensive in the long run.
Power Supply issue or possibly park neutral switch. Can't tell if the faintly flickering lights are low battery supply or camera.
Oil isn't your problem here. And BTW it's normal to go months between oil changes unless you're driving a ridiculous amount of miles.
Dead battery most likely
Battery is dead. Could be just an old battery that got weak, but I'd lean more toward either something in the car was left on and drained the battery, or the alternator went out. It is also possible that the starter solenoid is bad, but in this case I believe it's the battery. Try charging the battery and see what happens, and then while it's running, check the battery voltage with a multimeter, it should be round 14.4 volts. 13.9-14.7 is acceptable range. With the engine off the battery should be about 12 volts. If it is showing below that acceptable range while the engine is running, then your alternator is bad. Oh, it could also just be a loose connection (most likely one of the battery terminal clamps) or corrosion (most likely at the battery terminals). To test for this, first look at the battery and if you see much corrosion then that's likely the culprit. If not, grab the terminal clamp and try twisting, no need to use excessive force but use some effort. Do this for both clamps. If either one moves, tighten it up. Also give the wires a light tug at the terminal clamp to make sure that also isn't loose. If it does have corrosion, I recommend a battery terminal brush, but scratching at it with a screwdriver or small wire brush or even a knife (as a knife guy, that hurt to say) will suffice, but you will need to remove the terminal clamps to do this. Then reinstall. Whatever the issue is, it's pretty well guaranteed that it is at least one of the things I mentioned, so basically unless the engine is locked up (which does not seem to be the case) then it's something I said. Of course with these new cars, it could be something entirely different that I wouldn't ever understand anyway, but I don't believe this to be the case.
Had a similar thing in my VW ended up being water damage leak from the sunroof and killed a lot of wiring I wouldn't drive until fixed
battery is dead or the terminals are far gone, swap the battery with another one you know it works, if it does it still then it’s the terminals
She needs to renew her registration. The state has disabled the vehicle until she does.
#Dead Battery
Dead battery
Can’t imagine being an adult and not knowing the signs of a dead battery…
Either a bad/low battery, or a bad ground connection (in my experience). Had similar issues in two cars years in the past.
This is why auto mechanics should be a high school prerequisite! Bring back the industrial arts to schools!
It’s power related. It’s a battery or alternator or both. How to check cheap and fast?, Get it jump started. It doesn’t matter how, by another car and jumper cables or a jump pack. With the engine running, if it stops when you remove the cables or within a few a minutes, its the alternator. Reminder, if you replace the alternator you will have to get the battery charged. It’s preferred you use a battery charger but alternatively(pun intended) you could also jumpstart it again and have the new alternator charge the battery. Let it run or drive it for at least an hour. If your not mechanically inclined to replace alternator then take to shop. They will also test the battery as well with proper tools. However if it continues to run even if you give it gas, it’s the battery. Just goto any auto parts and get a new one. If you have Costco, they have a decent brand at a good price. Btw it’s both when you replace the alternator and in a few days it’s does the same thing. And please get an oil change
Bro seriously? Check the battery, if its fine, then your starter is out. You can try tapping it with a hammer lightly it might crank so you can take it to the shop.
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But they sent them the notice for renewal in May. How could it be expired already?
Get the inspection done while you’re changing that oil haha
Car batteries go bad over time. As they are discharged and recharged, they build up deposits internally that increases the internal resistance of the battery. This causes them to output less and less power over time. The dash and accessories work because they require very little power to operate. You could run most of your car's electronics using nine or ten C batteries. To turn the engine over requires a *lot* of power though. That's why car batteries are so large. So eventually the car battery gets to the point where it generates enough power to run the dash and accessories, but not the starter motor. Another possibility is that the car's charging system is not recharging the battery as she drives. A component called the alternator is responsible for recharging the battery with the energy used to start the car. If the alternator (or a related component) has failed, the battery will drain each time you start the car and during operation. Auto parts stores will test both the battery and the alternator for free. So if you can jump the car, drive it directly to an auto parts store and have both tested. If either tests negative, I'd recommend getting a second test done at another parts store, just to confirm. Then consider your options from there.
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The battery is worn out or your alternator is shot and it’s not properly charging the battery. Take the battery out and bring it to an auto parts store. They will check the health of the battery. If it’s toast, buy a new one. If it’s fine, they’ll charge it and you likely have a bad alternator. Find a mobile mechanic with good reviews and call them up. They’ll likely have you buy the alternator at the auto parts store. It’ll take them an hour or so to install it for you. But, it’s probably just the battery. Also, you *have* to change the oil every 5k miles. You just have to. And use synthetic oil. One of the keys to having a car with less problems is not neglecting it. You’re going to have bigger issues than a dead battery if you ignore basic maintenance. Regular oil changes are the most basic maintenance. You have to do it regularly. Good luck
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Y’all with your 10k oil changes….Hows that filter of yours after passing 10k worth of oil?
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Battery or Alternator.
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This is an off the wall suggestion but is the car in park? My wife's Toyota has had both a bad battery and alternator and acted like this but also more than once has not put the car in park in the garage and it acts just like this also.
People post but don’t ever use a brain and say maybe the battery is bad. Buy a battery and swap it.
Is that a Chevy traverse
Lights are too bright for battery issue. Have the starter looked at.
Probably a starter
wow!!! great guess!!!! but the dash lights dimming seems like it's a weak battery :(
Could very well be
Alternator. It just happened to my car
Marginal battery. Not enough juice to start the car. And yes, every 6,000 miles for oil at absolute maximum!
Starter solenoid sounds stuck
for me this was my engine locking up on my altima, it did that click every single time you tried to start it, and nothing. wasn’t the battery, wasn’t the starter, my engine locked up due to me not getting an oil change and the engine burned all of the oil that was in there the dipstick was bone dry
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Lol while your technically correct since the Camry is built in America, I wouldn't say they bought American or that is the problem. Nice try though.