General Precautions

The following is a list of general safety tips every repair shop should use to keep everyone safe.

• Never smoke in or near repair bays or garages.
• Keep work areas clean and organized.
• Never wear loose clothing or clothing that is ripped or torn.
• Wear protective gear at all times, as appropriate for the repair.

Here’s what they advised.

• Read the owner’s manual before you begin.
• Check the specific “lifting points” of the vehicle you’re working on.
• Never exceed your vehicle lift’s maximum capacity.
• Don’t rely on a single lift arm to bear all the vehicle’s weight.
• Choose an auto lift with automatic safety locks.

• Your safety is your personal responsibility.
• Always follow the correct procedures.
• Never take shortcuts.
• Take responsibility and clean up if you made a mess.
• Clean and organize your workspace.
• Ensure a clear and easy route to emergency exits and equipment.
• Be alert and awake on the job.

1. Dead battery. When you leave your car for a long time, chances are, the engine will refuse to crank when you try to start it. One probable cause is the battery; since it gets charged every time the engine is turned on, the battery will gradually be discharged if the car hasn’t been used for quite some time.

Oil that degrades too much can cause engine sludge that can block oil flow entirely. Even if you don’t drive very often and you’re not hitting the recommended mileage interval, it’s best to get your oil changed twice a year. Your oil may be fine, but it’s the moisture in your engine that’s the real enemy.

After sitting for two years the fluids are going to want to be changed. This includes fuel in the tank, which over time becomes sticky and could clog the fuel injectors. Tires are going to have flat spots on them from sitting a bit of driving may fix that, but you may be out 4 tires.

Oil gets dirty. But to summarize, oil does not “spoil”, and non-use certainly doesn’t sever the long chain molecules. Yes, moisture that accumulates from combustion by-products should be vaporized off once in a while, but oil is not hygroscopic, and extended storage will not add bad things.

Tires get flat spots and lose pressure The same thing happens when tires “sleep.” They develop flat spots when you don’t drive. “The weight of the car constantly putting pressure on the same part of the tires create a dent,” says Akers. Tires lose pressure when they sit too—about one to two PSI per month.

When you start your car without driving it, or only take a short trip around the block, your vehicle won’t reach its full operating temperature. This leaves condensation in the exhaust and oil which won’t be burned off — and can cause damage in the long run.

Not necessarily: We recommend driving every two to three weeks to make it less likely that you wind up with a dead battery, flat-spotted tires or other issues that can be caused by letting a car sit parked for weeks.

Try to drive your car(s) for at least 20 minutes once a week. The most immediate problem is keeping your car’s 12V battery from dying, and running the engine—and therefore the alternator—for at least this long, about once every week, should prevent that from happening.

This is one question that you should ask yourself when you put your car away in storage. If you intend to keep your car out of service for a while, you should start it at least once every week. Allow the engine to run for a few minutes so that it reaches its normal operating temperature.

In order to fix a dead battery that is still carrying a good amount of voltage, driving around might be all you need to do. As we said before, the alternator will recharge the battery while your car is in motion. Driving around for just half an hour can bump up the voltage in your battery to a safely functional amount.

If your car does start, let it run for a few minutes to help charge the battery further. Unhook the clamps in the reverse order of how you put them on. Be sure to drive your car for about 30 minutes before stopping again so the battery can continue to charge. Otherwise, you might need another jump start.

The good news is this: You may not need to replace the battery right away. After jumping the car, let it run for at least 20 minutes to let the engine recharge the battery. If it holds the charge, you should have nothing to worry about. If not, it’s time for a new one.

Ideally, the battery life span is 4-5 and after that you need to replace it with a new one. If your charging system is working properly and the battery is otherwise in good condition (able to accept a major recharge you eill probably be OK as long as you do not leave the lights or accessaries on when you park your car.

How Long Does It Take To Jump A Dead A Car Battery? The answer is it depends—per the instructions above, the range can go anywhere from a measly 2-minutes to as long as 10-minutes or even 30-minutes (in extreme cases).

There are several reasons why your car won’t start when trying a jump. Let’s review them, one by one: Your battery is completely dead or terminally damaged: Your car battery works hard, day in and day out. Your alternator is bad: If your car still won’t work, even after a jump, the alternator could be the culprit.

Similar to the starter engine, a broken or damaged ignition switch can stop your car from starting. If your headlights can turn on, but your car won’t crank, that means that your battery is charged, but either the starter or ignition is the problem.

Dead Battery – A dead battery is the most common reason your car won’t start. Bad Ignition Switch – If you know your battery is working properly, but your car doesn’t turn over on the first few tries, you might have a problem with the ignition switch.

What are common bad starter symptoms?

1. Something sounds off. One of the symptoms of a bad starter is a clicking noise when you turn the key or push the start button.
2. You’ve got lights but no action.
3. Your engine won’t crank.
4. Smoke is coming from your car.
5. Oil has soaked the starter.