When a woman’s Hyundai refused to start, she handled the situation with a calmness that surprised even seasoned mechanics in the comments. Her “fix” also had people concerned for her safety.
TikTok user Kimberly (@kimmyy11011) drives a Hyundai sedan that unfortunately wouldn’t start for her the evening of Aug. 13. In a video with more than 1.2 million views, she reveals how she handles this problem. “POV: Your car won’t start, but you know your car,” she writes in the video’s text overlay.
Kimberly attempts to turn the car on multiple times, but it won’t comply. So she climbs out, pops the hood, and aggressively taps each battery terminal. Then she hops back into the car and tries the key again. This time it works.
It appears that Kimberly’s battery is due for a replacement or is in need of service. When your car isn’t starting like this, the battery could be dead or there’s an issue with the connection on your battery terminals due to corrosion or loose clamps.
Is This a Connection or Corrosion Issue?
A Ford Mustang owner posted to r/MechanicAdvice seven years ago describing a similar issue. “I open the hood and just kind of push on the wires going towards the battery,” the person wrote.
“I know what you’re thinking… there’s a loose connection to the battery and jiggling these cables is maybe creating contact again somewhere. But I’ve already brought this to a mechanic and had them inspect the leads and even completely re-do the connections to the battery terminals.”
Several Redditors in the comments suggested the Mustang owner check the wiring insulation for corrosion before agreeing to any more costly repairs. One person said they split the wire insulators open on the positive and negative leads at the battery and found six inches of green corrosion. After cleaning it up, the problem was resolved.
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Viewers: Get to AutoZone, STAT
In the comments section of Kimberly’s TikTok video, viewers expressed admiration for and concern about this DIY battery repair.
“You and your car got a secret handshake,” said one stunned viewer.
“How did you even figure that out in the first place?” asked a second person. “I love it though.”
A third viewer said, “Ohhh, she’s a mechanic.”
One woman even asked her husband to weigh in on the situation. “My husband said you need to wire brush the terminals for better conduction of electricity to the vehicle,” she wrote.
Others suggested Kimberly first try replacing the battery.
“Girl, get a new battery,” one person said. “We need you safe out here.”
Motor1 contacted Kimberly via TikTok comment and direct message for comment. We’ll update this if she responds.
