This car battery repair procedure is important if you have an issue with your battery getting dead overnight. It is a normal practice that when you have a no start and you hear a clicking sound but no crank from the starter, it is assumed that the battery needs charging or replacement. What is worst is after doing this, the starter is also replaced only to find that the problem is still there.

Here is the proper procedure for car battery repair:

1.) Load test the battery no matter what

Unless the battery is new, you need to charged it for at least 2 hours before load testing it. If the battery fails this test, replace the battery even if the battery load testing is on the border line especially if you live in cold countries like Canada or Northern Europe.

2.) Test the battery drain after installation

If the engine circuit has a short, most likely it will kill the battery if you leave the vehicle overnight. The best way to test the battery drain is to measure the amp meter reading connected between the battery negative cable end and negative battery post. Maximum reading allowed is 200 milliamp but do the test at least 30 minutes after the engine is shutdown to allow the engine sleep timer/relay to get off. If you don’t do this, you might find a higher reading and falsely condemn the engine wiring circuit.

Refrain from using a test light when testing the battery drain which is inaccurate. You are better off touching the battery cable and post as I have done it on this video:

When doing test for car battery repair, always start with the battery and verify that the battery connections are free from corrosion. On an intermittent no start I found on a vehicle, I found out that during cranking, a poorly connected wiring or cable will be hot to touch if there is a corrosion build up in the terminals. Do this first even before deciding to replace your battery.

Thanks,

Richard