So you go out to your car, get behind the wheel, put the key in the ignition and turn the key, but instead of the normal sound of the engine coming to life after the starter cranks, there is silence.

Nothing. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Not even an electrical click. You try it again. A few times. Still nothing.

“Arghh” you say to yourself. “The battery is dead.”

Well, maybe yes and maybe no. Before you rush to the phone to call for help or start walking to the nearest bus stop, you might want to try a few old-timer’s tricks and possibly find life in that battery after all.

According to Fred Padgett, Product Manager for Robert Bosch Corporation (BOSCH), a leading manufacturer of starting and charging system components, the problem might be as simple as a loose or corroded battery cable connection. “Look for white powdery residue where the battery cables attach to the battery,” explains Padgett. “It doesn’t take much to interrupt the flow of electricity.”

While it’s easy to clean and re-tighten battery connections, two cautions are in order, explains Padgett. First, always disconnect the negative (-) cable first and reconnect it last. This will help prevent a spark or short circuit from the positive (+) terminal to the chassis, which is connected electrically to the negative (-) side of the battery. Second, remember that disconnecting the battery will cause electronic settings to be lost.

If cleaning and re-tightening battery connections doesn’t solve your no-start condition, a jump-start probably will. But why did the battery go dead in the first place? Perhaps you left the headlights on. Or maybe you left a door ajar, leaving the interior lights on. But maybe the problem lies in the vehicle’s charging system.

According to Bosch’s Padgett, until the 1960’s cars used generators which produced Direct Current (DC), and were generally inefficient. Since that time virtually all cars have been equipped with alternators which, as their name suggests, produce Alternating Current (AC), and are far more efficient than generators. So alternators include an electronic component called a rectifier to change the AC output to DC.

Alternators do a terrific job of producing electricity but require a device called a voltage regulator to control their output. The voltage regulator operates by electrically opening and closing as needed. Some voltage regulators are a separate component (external), while others are built into the alternator (an integral regulator). “Voltage regulators monitor the needs of the car’s electrical system, and also the level of charge in the battery, and adjust the alternator’s output accordingly,” explains Padgett.

“Charging system warning lights, or gauges, or both, are mounted on the dash board. Gauges are either an ammeter or voltmeter and show whether the system is charging or not, or they show total system voltage at a given time. The warning light simply warns the driver if there’s a malfunction in the charging system, says Bosch’s expert.

So what do you do if your warning light or gauge indicates a failure in the charging system? Well you should do something, and soon. Padgett suggests getting to a professional repair shop as quickly as you can. Otherwise you’ll be facing a no-start condition, usually at the most inopportune moment.

Your technician will perform a diagnosis with electrical meters or with an engine analyzer. If the problem is with the voltage regulator, the cure for an external unit is to simply install a replacement. If the problem lies in the alternator or integral voltage regulator, the standard cure is to replace the alternator with a new or remanufactured unit. The choice is often based on price, but there can be wide variations in quality, explains Padgett.

“Ask your mechanic to install an alternator with features that will allow it to last longer than the original unit,” suggests Padgett. “Alternators with larger bearings, improved circuitry, increased output, and additional provisions for cooling are available to every repair shop, and will often outlast the unit that came with the vehicle. If you’re having a remanufactured unit installed, insist that it include a brand new, not reclaimed, integral voltage regulator.”

Warranties are another important consideration. Not only do they protect you in case of failure of the product, they also reflect the confidence your mechanic has in what he is installing, notes David Caracci, General Manager of Sales and Marketing for Bosch.

“Check the warranty on a replacement alternator. Make sure the manufacturer offers extended protection with 24/7 towing or jump-start coverage even after the original warranty has expired,” explains Bosch’s Caracci. “That’s how you’ll know how much confidence the manufacturer has in his product.”