Dead Battery?

[jasonboy]

Hi new PT Cruiser Base 2007 owner here, purchased the car for school 6 months ago 62k miles and besides having to replace the break pads has been working fine. For the last 4 months; I've been driving it daily to school and back. I recently had winter vacation and the car wasn't driven much. I would drive it once a week (5 to 10 minutes) to switch spots in NYC for street cleaning; the temperature also dropped in to the 20s (F) a couple days and 10 (F) a few times at night. A couple weeks ago when i went to start it; I heard a click and then the car started. I let it warm up and moved it; the next week the same thing happened by it was a little harder to start. The following week I heard multiple clicks with the dash lights turning off before the engine started. That weekend the temperature dropped below 5deg F with heavy snow and so on Monday (3 days later); I went and started the car, it took a couple clicks for the car to start but it eventually did (much longer then before with the dash turning off and on. I turned on the heat and defrosted the windshield; letting the car warm up for about 1/2 an hour.

The next Friday, I went to move my car for street cleaning and it wouldn't start; initially the same click followed by the dash lights turning off; but the engine wouldn't turn over. I tried 2-3 more times but the same thing happened; the power doors, headlights, radio, all turn on fine and the dash lights remain on if i put the key on the middle position where the engine isn't running however if i try to turn the key to start the car, the clicking is heard followed by the lights disappearing.

I called my mechanic and he told me to jump my car, a good samaritan offered to do it for me, she didn't connect the black wire to the ground and instead connected it to the battery; she tried multiple times to start the car and it didn't happen. That day was very cold with temps under 20F. The next couple of days we had a blizzard and so I couldn't do anything but I tried today after digging the car out and the same issue remains.

What I notice following the attempt at the jump is before i could hear the engine trying to start after the clicking sounds, it actually made an attempt to start whereas after her multiple tries to start 15-20; the car know just clicks and flickers.

I ordered this Stanley 'FatMax' 700-Amp Peak Jump Starter with Compressor & *Bonus* Road-Side Service #J7CSR - Walmart.com

based on the advice of a co-worker who told me to try that. He mentioned that most likely it's the starter if that doesn't help.

This is my first car and I'm not really a car person; I'm planning on trying to get the car towed to a mechanic; but with school costs I would prefer to see if there is something I could do to fix it myself and save on the towing cost.

I appreciate any help and I'm glad to see a thriving community for this great car

[ptcruisersteve]

I would suggest you borrow a battery charger and charge the battery. Sometimes if the battery is really drained it makes it hard to jump start.

Also check your battery cables. Make sure they are clean and making good contact.

Take the top off the battery and make sure the fluid level is good.

[Moparman440]

If you suspect the battery, you could always take it out and bring it to any of the chain auto parts places. They will test it for free and the testing machine will charge it for you as well. This may take a long time, or it may take a minute. Either way, at least you can leave with a good, charged battery. Either the one you brought in or the one you just bought.