Car Won't Start – Flat Battery?

The most common reason a car won't start is a discharged battery – recognisable by a sluggish cranking sound or no sound at all. Jump-start the battery using jump leads: connect the red cable first to the positive terminal of the flat battery, then to the positive terminal of the donor vehicle; connect the black cable to the negative terminal of the donor, and the other end to a bare metal point in the engine bay of the broken-down car (not to the negative terminal of the flat battery). Start the donor vehicle, let it run for a few minutes, then start the broken-down vehicle. Remove the cables in reverse order. Drive for at least 30 minutes afterwards to recharge the battery. If the battery is more than 4–5 years old or this happens repeatedly, have it tested at a garage and replaced if necessary.