How to Tell if a Car Battery is Dead

A dead battery can leave you stranded on the side of the road and this can be scary and frustrating at the same time. The car’s ability to operate is dependent on whether the battery has power or not. It does not always mean that the battery is dead just because the car will not start. There are things you can do to tell if the battery is dead or if there is some other problem.

• Place the key in the ignition and try to engage the engine. Nothing may happen or you will hear a click. The click is the starter solenoid trying to engage but because the battery does not have enough power, it cannot engage.


• Turn on the headlights to check for power. If there not enough power for headlights, this could mean that there is a dead battery. A combination of the symptoms in the above steps could signal a dead battery.


• Go to the front of the car and open the hood to locate the battery. The battery may be in a black plastic box. The battery can be recognized because it has two terminals or lugs on the top or the side of it. It may have a cable that attaches from one side of the battery to the other side of it. The most common place to find the battery is in the front corner of the engine compartment near the fender. It may also be in the trunk of the car.


• Check the battery terminals for rust, dirty connections and corrosions. The battery could be cleaned with baking soda and water to remove the sediments. This may be all the battery needs to get it started.


• The battery could be tested with a multimeter to determine if it is dead. Disconnect the cables on the battery with a wrench starting the negative terminal first. The negative terminal is black or has a minus sign. The positive terminal is red or has a plus sign. Set the multimeter to the 50 volts scale. Place the red lead on the meter to the positive terminal on the battery. Place the black lead on the meter to the negative terminal on the battery. Turn on the meter and watch the reading. Readings below 9.6 volts mean the battery is dead and needs replacing.