Q: Battery is not keeping a charge

asked by on November 07, 2016

The car has been sitting for a long time it was supposed to be a backup but we didn't expect it to sit this long. We have jumped it a few times over the time it sat and drove it shortly to keep it from messing up. However it appears now the battery is done. I'm not sure if it's the battery or alternator. I charge the battery drove it around the block when I hit the blinker it died. Brought it back home charged it and let it sit a while but then it would not start again after shutting it off but the battery charged a while. There are no lights or anything once the car is cut off its like the battery has no juice after it cuts off.

My car has 103000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

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Hey. This may suggest you have a battery that has exhausted every bit of power that it has. When you jump the car, it may be possible that the battery has just enough of a charge that is maintained from the alternator to keep running and power the accessories. Once you shut it off, or use any additional power such as a blinker, this slight additional draw on the system may be just enough to cause it to shut down. I would recommend having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose your battery and guide you through repairs.

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