Properly starting a car after it’s been sitting for years or decades requires:

1. Making sure that the engine is free to rotate.
2. Clean oil.
3. Lubricating the cylinder walls.
4. Clean air.
5. Clean fuel.
6. Clean coolant.
7. Intact fan belt.

2-year-old gasoline should be fine. Just top off the tank with good new fuel when you can and you’ll be fine. There’s no way in hell it’ll be out of oil and unless you left the parking brake on the whole time there’s little chance that anything will be truly seized.

How to Release a STUCK Shift Lock Release

1. Engage the emergency brake / parking brake.
2. Find the shift lock override slot.
3. Insert a key, nail file, or screwdriver into the slot.
4. Press the brake pedal while you are pressing down on the override,
5. Shift gears as you normally would.

After sitting for two years the fluids are going to want to be changed. This includes fuel in the tank, which over time becomes sticky and could clog the fuel injectors. Tires are going to have flat spots on them from sitting a bit of driving may fix that, but you may be out 4 tires.

Unless you’re looking for a classic car to rebuild or restore, don’t ever buy a used car that doesn’t start or has not been driven in a long time. If a car was in decent condition before it was stored, it won’t take much to reanimate it.

Do not attempt to start a car that has been sitting that long, as it could cause a lot of damage.

Tires usually keep their shape through steady use even though they hold the entire weight of a car. But when a car is left to sit, they can become warped, flat and deflated. Bubbles may even appear in the tire and could cause a blowout while driving at high speeds.

two weeks

While it may seem harmless to not use your vehicle, the truth is a car sitting without being driven isn’t always a good thing. The alternator helps charge the battery as your vehicle runs, so without that extra charge, an already dying battery can suffer.

You may have trouble getting your car started when it’s time for your next drive. But with the proper preparation, it’s possible to let your car sit for months (or even years) with no issues at all.

Most commonly, cars that aren’t driven very regularly will run out of battery. As you drive, your vehicle’s battery is able to recharge, which is often why a battery can run for years without depleting its energy. If a vehicle is parked for a long time, the battery isn’t able to recharge and will likely go flat.

four weeks to two months

“These computers do absorb energy, and if a car is sitting and not recharging, the battery can die within two weeks.” To avoid a dead battery, you can start your car once a week and let it run for about 5-10 minutes.

It is possible to recharge a dead battery, and depending upon the situation you are in, a dead battery is generally an easy fix, whether you are stuck in your garage and can handle it yourself or you are in the middle of nowhere and need professional, quick, and efficient service in the blink of an eye.

7 Things That Can Drain Your Car Battery

1. You left your headlights on.
2. Something is causing a “parasitic draw.”
3. Your battery connections are loose or corroded.
4. It’s extremely hot or cold outside.
5. The battery isn’t charging while you drive.
6. You’re taking too many short drives.
7. Your battery is old.

It describes a memory fuse that can be pulled when leaving the car unattended for long periods of time in order to avoid a dead battery. Some have had the dead battery problem because of a bad cell in the battery, faulty battery cables, a bad diode in the alternator, or even a problem in the car’s radio.

An old mechanic’s trick for turning for temporarily eliminating certain kinds of driveability problems is to disconnect the battery ground cable for 10 seconds to “reset” the computer. Essentially, this trick erases the stored fault codes in the PCM’s keep alive memory and turns the Check Engine light off.

7 Signs of a Failing Alternator

• Dim or Overly Bright Lights.
• Dead Battery.
• Slow or Malfunctioning Accessories.
• Trouble Starting or Frequent Stalling.
• Growling or Whining Noises.
• Smell of Burning Rubber or Wires.
• Battery Warning Light on Dash.

It’s not unheard of for a battery to die quite quickly, though it’s usually if they are old, or if the weather is particularly cold.

Here are seven telltale signs that your car battery is dying:

1. A slow starting engine. Over time, the components inside your battery will wear out and become less effective.
2. Dim lights and electrical issues.
3. The check engine light is on.
4. A bad smell.
5. Corroded connectors.
6. A misshapen battery case.
7. An old battery.

That means if anything is left on after the engine is shut off, the battery will almost certainly die. Leaving the headlights on can kill a weak battery in the amount of time it takes you run a short errand like shopping for groceries, but even a small interior dome light can drain a battery dead overnight.

You can then perform a battery test again if necessary, or attempt to start the car. If the battery level during cranking still drops below 9.6v or the car fails to start, this indicates the battery is defective and will need to be replaced.

Using a Multimeter to Test a Car Battery If you don’t have a voltage of around 12.6 volts, you may have a bad battery. Now start the car, and look for a revised voltage over 10. If your voltage drops below 5 when the car is running, it is bad and should be replaced right away.

You may be wondering how long it will take your car battery to charge while you drive around? The general consensus is you have to drive the car at least 30 minutes to put any meaningful charge on it. This is not to say that driving for 30 minutes will fully re-charge your battery.

Many people wonder if the car battery can die while driving, especially after their car battery died while driving. Obviously, answer is ‘Yes, a car battery can die while driving’. A cood car starting or dual purpose battery should not die while driving, but although it is rare event, it happens.

If your car all of a sudden shuts off while driving, it is probable that your alternator has gone bad. A broken alternator will cut the power to your car and the important parts, which will signal to you by a flashing dash or the engine all of a sudden shutting off.

By ‘car battery dies,’ we mean to say that the battery discharges beyond the point where it’s got adequate power to run the car. Some of the most common reasons include faulty alternator diode, charging problems, persistent electrical drains, loose or corroded battery connections, and even extreme weather.