Hey All,

My car hesitates to start. The battery reads 12.7-8 volts (after my drive home from work today). As it should be when it fully charged, right? What should I check before I run out and buy a new battery? The instrument panel lights are dim when I try to start.

Thanks in advance!

 

You can take the car/battery to a parts store and have them test it. They'll be able to tell you for free how it performs under load. You may also want to check the grounds and test for drains on the battery. If all of that tests ok, you may want to check out the starter. GL

 

I should also mention that alot of engine problems can make it hard to start. Does motor struggle or miss once it is started?

 

What exactly does "My car hesitates to start" mean?
Does it mean engine cranks properly but engine has a hard time starting, or the engine does not crank properly, [starter motor running slowly]?

I'm guessing starter motor running slowly, [dimming dash lights] if that's the case the first thing I would do is check all the main power and grounds, when I say "check" I mean remove/undo, clean all contact surfaces and reconnect, then go and have a proper load check done, most batt./alt. shops do this for free, it only takes a few min., it will tell you the condition of the charging system including the batt..

Hint, a guy with a multimeter, [no matter how good it is] is not going to be able to tell you much, the machine used will be on wheels with at least 3 cables connected to your car. 94