98 Camry Killed While Jumping Another Vehicle

lowskills

I own a '98 Camry that had been sitting for several months. The battery was dead so I hooked up a charger and in a few hours was able to start it. I let the vehicle run for a couple of hours and then used the Camry to jump another vehicle. This second vehicle was having real problems and had to be cranked several times. Finally, I cranked the second car which drew down the electrical on the Camry. The headlights dimmed and finally the Camry died. I connected the charger to the battery of the Camry again. The starter engages (sounds different now) but does not start the car.

What might have happened, and where do I begin to look for the solution?

Thanks ahead for your help!

ray80

I think with a little luck you may have just totally killed the 98 battery. I would guess the multiple attempts at starting the second vehicle while the 98 was running may have potentially damaged some electrical components.

PF_Flyer

The Camry battery may have been on its last legs, but you didn't say how old that battery was. Might simply be that the stress of the multiple jump start attempts revealed that fact. You could have the battery tested to see where it stands.

Mr_Shiftright

You can't get very much charge into an old battery by running the car. This only gives you, at best, a "surface charge" which is easily drained. When you restarted the Camry, it was trying to run off a lame battery and your car's various modules do not like sub-standard voltages.

You might get your old battery load-tested, but only after an overnight charge, and see what's what with it.