If your car doesn’t start, it can be very frustrating, and if the reason it’s flatter than a pancake is that you left the lights on overnight, finding yourself stranded could well be the last straw.
Luckily, jump starting is usually the ‘gateway’ option. With these simple steps, you’ll have your car refreshed in no time, safely.
What Is a Jump Start?
A jump start, otherwise known as a boost, is when you use an auxiliary power source (usually another vehicle’s battery) to provide the necessary juice to start your car. Once your car is started, your alternator will recharge your battery, at which time you may remove the jumper cables harmlessly.
Safety First: Safety Precautions Before You Start
A jump start isn’t dangerous, but mishaps can be expensive. Here’s what you should do before even popping the hood:
• Inspect both batteries and your jumper cables for any signs of damage.
• Take off any metal jewelry, which may come into contact with the terminals and cause a spark by accident.
• If you’re not sure, refer to your own whether’s manual, or call a professional to be on the safe side.
The Easy 10-Step Method
1. Shut off any electronics in the dead vehicle (radio, headlights, air conditioning, etc.).
2. Park the secondary vehicle nearby, but do not allow the two cars to make contact.
3. Turn off both engines and take the keys out of the ignition before draining the bonnets.
4. Connect the red clip to the positive (+) terminal of your dead battery.
5. Attach the remaining red clamp to the good battery’s positive post.
6. Connect the black clamp to the negative (-) terminal of the fully charged battery.
7. Connect the last black clamp to a heavy, unpainted metal part of the dead vehicle’s engine block, not the dead negative terminal.
8. Run the engine of the working car, and allow it to idle for a moment or two to transfer some power. Now attempt to start the dead car.
9. If it does start, run the engine for around 5 minutes before disconnecting the cables.
10. Take the cables off in the reverse order: Disconnect the black jumper cable, then the red one, then the red jumper cable clamp from the good car.
What to Do After the Jump Start
After you turn on the car, let it idle for a few minutes, or preferably drive it for at least 30 minutes if you can. This will ensure the battery is given the chance to properly recharge and lower the likelihood of needing another jump start shortly.
If a jump start doesn’t do the trick, the problem could either be battery death or alternator failure.
Last Words
Learning how to jump a car is a life skill that can be done fast, takes up little space, and is often accessible for a quick fix! Take the right safety precautions, including using the best jumper cables, and connect the cables in the correct order to prevent costly vehicle damage or injury.
Well, armed with the knowledge in this article, the next time that happens, you’ll be a model of cool, calm and collected, knowing exactly what to do and what not to do to help get things revving again.