My sister and her bf moved in with us and are constantly using our car to jump start their own car (and I mean almost every day, sometimes more than once) and ever since then our lights have been flickering and now our car hesitates to start… I’m trying to figure out if this is because of the jumping or because of something else.

It’s been like a month and a bit of this.

Please any help is appreciated!

  • Wendiesel808@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    Head to the parts store and ask them to check your battery and alternator, it’s free. Sounds like your battery may be weak. Might need a battery and or an alternator.

  • preparingtodie@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    If you drive your car every day, then an extra jump start or 2 per day shouldn’t be very hard on your battery. But if they’re using it multiple times in between times that you drive it, then yes it can draw it down to the point of damaging it, and then you’ll both need new batteries.

  • RickMN@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    No, it’s not good for your battery or your alternator, and there’s always a very small risk that it can fry the computers in your car due to voltage spikes when hooking up and detaching the jumper cables. That doesn’t happen very often, but it’s also not a no-risk situation. Tell them to get it fixed or take full responsibility for anything that happens to your vehicle.

  • vapefresco@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    I would check the terminals, make sure they are clean and tight. All of that jumper cable on/off may have loosened the connections.

    It would be cheaper to just buy them a little battery jumper.

    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VXJBFKY/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?pd_rd_i=B09VXJBFKY&pd_rd_w=6DF6D&content-id=amzn1.sym.68f30e61-3dba-4ebe-8f1b-a0b000b95ff8&pf_rd_p=68f30e61-3dba-4ebe-8f1b-a0b000b95ff8&pf_rd_r=7JGC4WAJEMMBJ1ZJF8CP&pd_rd_wg=63VGM&pd_rd_r=e84f24cb-c586-49e7-8546-df4cb4e50deb&s=automotive&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWxfdGhlbWF0aWM&th=1

  • dreakon@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    If they are jumping their car multiple times between you driving yours, than yes, it’s what’s causing the flickering and the start up issue. Your battery will probably be fine if you drive regularly. Their battery however, sounds like it’s fucked.

  • German_Irish_Guy@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    So reading everything in the comments sorry to say but it seems like you’re too good natured to say NO even to family. Hide your keys and tell them no. Tell them to buy a new battery with the max cranking AMPs available for the group size of battery needed. Tell them to unplug any cords they have added(dash cam, phone chargers, after market accessories, ect). As for your car you probably need a new battery to start with, make sure the terminal cables are installed snug but not over tightened. Then see if that resolves the issues. If not either pull your own alternator and take in for testing or go to your trusted mechanic and just have them slap a new one in. If you jumpstart any cars in the future make sure you drive your car for a bit after to built back the charge(the alternator does that). And tell them NO and it means the foot it down NO more using your car.

  • drinkallthepunch@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    No but it will drain the battery more than it’s recharged most of the time.

    Once you draw on your battery at low enough charge, THAT will damage and break it.

    Batteries will last like ~50 years and longer if charged correctly and maintained.

    The reason you have to replace the em is you don’t usually drive far enough and long enough to properly charge it after starting the vehicle.

    However the alternator does keep it charged enough to last 5-10 for most people.

    Then it dies on an unusually cold winter, or in your case from jump starting another car too many times.