Car won’t start

[_novice]

Hi, please forgive my ignorance but a total amateur when it comes to cars.
After been stood for a week (due to current situation), went to start car, could open the car using the button on my keys, went to start it, nothing. No lights lit up on the display, just clicking noises, could not lock car again with button on keys only using the key itself to lock. Jump started it , let it idle for 15 mins, took it round the block for 20mins and was fine. Come to it this morning and same again except the display lit up and there was no clicking but foot on the gas did nothing .

Is this I purely down to it being stood for a week or is there a problem with battery etc? I’ve got a 62 plate VW polo, I half expected the brakes to be stuck in too but they were fine?

 

[RLGL]

Replace the battery

 

[Paperdoc]

Well, what you describe certainly is a very weak battery. BUT why? is the question. It COULD be an old battery that fails to hold a charge for long. It COULD be an OK battery but the alternator / charging system is not re-charging it properly so the battery is always mostly discharged. Or it COULD be that some power consuming device in the car has been left on and is slowly draining the battery. Check all around in the car for a small light left on. Be sure to check the light in the trunk that turns on when it is opened, OR when a switch for it is left on. Check your cabin interior lights, and anything in the glove compartment or sun visors.

Once you get it running, a drive for 20 min. will put a small charge into the battery, but that's not nearly enough to completely charge it. It would take a much longer drive, and that uses gas and money. If possible, I recommend you borrow a battery charger from a friend, or even buy one if you want to spend a bit of cash. Get one with at least 10 Amp max charging rate. When you connect its output wires with clamps to your battery posts, be sure to get the polarity right - RED wire to the larger post, BLACK wire to the smaller one. The charger itself probably will have a warning light on its front that glows red if you get this wrong. Then plug it into a wall outlet for power, and let it work for 1 to 2 days. That should re-charge the battery completely. Just so you know, most such chargers have an "automatic shut-off" feature so that, when the battery is mostly charged, it will keep turning itself on and off to put small amount of top-up current into the nearly-charged battery.

If you suspect the battery really is too old to hold a chanrge, many auto parts stores will do a free test of the battery if you carry it in, and tell you whether it needs replacing. But be a little skeptical - they have some interest in selling you a new battery, as well as some interest in being honest enough to make their customer happy to come back. Of course, to do that you'd need a bit of experience in how to disconnect and remove the battery, and then replace it.

 

[Sgt. York]

The op, like so many others, is never going to return to see your lengthy answer.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

The op, like so many others, is never going to return to see your lengthy answer.

haha who comes to a computer forum to get car help.....