So, you just installed a new battery but for some reason it sparked. Now, your car won’t start.
So, why is your car battery sparked, now car won’t start?
The battery most likely sparked if you shorted the ground with any part of the car. This is a common occurrence while installing a battery.
Other than that, it could be short in the electrical system, reversing the battery terminals, corroded battery terminals, and a blown fuse can also contribute to battery sparking and then the car being dead.
In the next sections, we will talk about how to troubleshoot this problem step-by-step.
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Battery Sparked Now Car Won’t Start [3 Easy Steps]
A little battery spark is normal and is not supposed to cause any issues with the car starting. It mostly occurs when you touch the end of the wrench to your car’s metal parts while working on the battery.
However, sometimes there are issues like the car not starting at all. So, let’s see how you can get over the problem.
Note: You can read our guide on Why hooked battery up backwards now car won’t start and how to fix it.
Step 01. Check Your Battery Connection
Connecting your battery is pretty straightforward, but still make sure you did this right. First of all, make sure the battery terminals are tightened properly. Try to wiggle the terminals, if they twist, then it means that the terminals aren’t connected properly.
If that’s the case, you better remove and reconnect the battery terminals.
While you remove the terminals, check if there is any corrosion in your battery terminals. A corroded battery terminal may cause sparks and will prevent current flow.
If you do have corrosion, you can clean it up with a corrosion cleaner. Simply spray the corrosion cleaner over the battery terminals, wait for a couple minutes then wipe up with a clean piece of cloth.
But if you are a DIY person, you can use baking soda and water to clean it up. Mix 4 tablespoons of baking soda with 6 cups of water. This will make a baking soda paste, which you will need to apply to the corroded terminals. Then let it sit for 30 minutes and clean up with a fresh cloth.
Another thing that may have gone wrong here is the reverse connection of the battery terminals. That means you may have mistakenly connected the positive terminal to the negative and vice versa. In that case, connecting the terminals correctly should fix the problem.
Step 02. Check The Fuses
If the battery connections are fine, then you have to take a look at the fuses. An important fuse may have blown up which caused a complete loss of power. This especially happens if the negative battery terminal sparks when starting.
To diagnose this, you need to check all the fuses one by one and see if they are blown. First, you need to visually inspect them for signs of damage or burns. If they seem okay, then you can test the fuses with a multimeter.
Set the multimeter to test continuity, then place the probes on two sides of the fuse. If you hear a beep then it means the fuse is working. Otherwise, it’s not.
If you find any blown fuses, you need to replace the fuses. But make sure it has the same amperage rating as the previous one.
However, if the fuse keeps blowing even after replacing it, it means that there is a shortage in the electrical system of your car. Finding a short may seem difficult but we have a simple way to do it.
For this, we will need a tool named “ECCT 2000”. Now, remove the fuse that keeps blowing and connect the transmitter of the ECCT 2000 to the fuse location. Hook up the device to the battery to power it up.
Once it is powered up, the ECCT 2000 will light up, indicating a short. Now, turn on the receiver of the ECCT 2000 and it will start beeping. The blown fuse will give you a hint of where the circuit is shorted.
For example, if the starter fuse is blown, take the receiver and hover it over the starter motor and its wires. Once the beeping has stopped, it has found the short.
Here is a video guide on how to find a short in your car for your convenience-
Step 03. Check The Battery Health
If none of those do the trick for you, maybe your battery has a problem. In that case, you can try jumpstarting it and perform a load test.
A load test will determine if there is something wrong with your battery and it’s very simple to do. Here is a video guide that will help-
If your car not starting but the battery is fine, you may have to check the alternator too. That’s because a bad alternator can also drain a battery.
FAQs:
Can a dead car battery still spark?
Yes, a dead car battery can still spark. This is because the battery still contains a small amount of electricity, even when it is dead. This spark can be dangerous, so it is important to take precautions even when working with a dead car battery.
Can a battery spark cause a fire?
Yes, battery sparks can cause a fire. When a battery sparks, it creates an electrical arc that can ignite flammable materials. This is why it is important to take precautions when working with batteries.
Are battery fires common?
Battery fires are not common, but they can happen. They are more likely to happen with lithium-ion batteries, which are used in many electronic devices, such as laptops, smartphones, and electric vehicles.
Conclusion
After this discussion, you should know what to do if your battery sparked now car won’t start. The troubleshooting process is very simple and make sure to use protective equipment.
But if you are still confused and hesitant, you better call in an expert.
About John M
John contributed as a technical head at an automobile company just 2 years after his post-graduation in Automobile Engineering. He loves to lead a free life, so he left his job & started blogging. Now, he does research on every automotive problem, part & product and seeks a better solution & best products & shares his findings with his readers to help them as well as to minimize their struggle.