The battery is considered “dead” when there is insufficient charge to start the engine, or run electrical components. When
battery cables fail, this condition will occur. Normally, the first sign is dim lighting in the interior of the vehicle, and when attempting to start, the engine may crank extremely slowly, or not at all. A very rapid clicking noise is normally heard if there is any charge left in the battery, but in many cases, the vehicle will be completely unresponsive to any input. If the battery cables fail to transmit power while driving, the battery warning light will illuminate, and the engine may stall from lack of electrical power needed to run. Note, the battery may have plenty of charge, but the same symptoms are possible as that charge has no route out of the battery. In many vehicles manufactured from 1996 until present, the check engine light may illuminate, alerting the driver that an on-board diagnostics trouble code has been stored.
