Dead battery

[mach3]

I haven't started my car for a few weeks and now the battery is dead. I think that's the issue. I tried to jump start it with a battery charger but nothing happens. When I connect the the negative to a metal surface it made some fairly big sparks but I don't think that should fry anything. Also, I tried charging it for a couple of hours now and nothing seems to be happening.

Anyone have any idea why I can't jump start it?

BTW I'm parked inside a garage which is why I can boost it with another vehicle.

[cherrington17]

connections aren't corroded? does the battery have a water resevoir?

[mach3]

the terminals are clean. there's no resevoir as far as I can tell. could it be possible that I fryed somethin? I checked all the fuses and nothing seems to be blown. Also how long do I need to plug in the charger before it can jump start. I assumed I should need to wait.

[cherrington17]

check it with a voltmeter? try swapping batteries from the other car?

[alerored04]

Push it out of the garage and try to jump it. Mine has been doing something similar lately. It will not start on it's own. I have to jump it but the only way it will work is if I ground the neg cable on the motor. Once it is running and you turn it off it will not restart. I think it's a bad ground cable but I just haven't had time to look at it.

[jayson_waltz]

its likely a bad connection to the battery

[zoL]

My battery died yesterday too, what a co-inky dink.

[Ghadsphi]

Do you have lights, like dome lights or anything at all? If so what wonderful noises occur when you turn the key.

[zzyzzx]

My Alero is my backup car. I've left it alone for weeks at a time without running it and it starts up just fine. I also suspect you have a bad connection someplace, or let the water level get too low.

How old is the battery and what's the months rating on it? That information should be on the battery itself.

When you charge it, are you checking the voltage across the battery terminals before, during, and after the charge? If so you should be and report back the numbers. When you are finished charging, the voltage should be higher than it was before.

Also, how good is the charger? Maybe you just need to charge it longer (overnight?).

[mach3]

thanks everyone for your reponses. The battery is no good had to be replaced. Took it to a local shop to have them test it and it wasn't charging at all. Really disappointing, the battery is only 3 years old but it has alot to do with my stereo system which is probably the main cause.

Now that I think about it my alternator may be dying as well. I never noticed this before since I drive my car every day so that the battery had enough juice to last til the next day.

[cherrington17]

once you get the battery in, have them check the alternator too.

might be time for an upgraded power system

[Redog]

Well 3 years from a battery is fair, but the battery doesn't do the charge, the alternator does that.

Unless you meant the battery isn't holding a charge.

[cherrington17]

or maybe the chemicals are so dead, it wouldn't take the charge. if there are no viable chemicals to re-energize then the battery is toast.