How to Jumpstart a Car: A Step-by-Step Guide
Knowing the right way to jumpstart a car is a sanity-saving skill every motorist should have. Battery drain often happens with no prior warning. A quick jump start will get you on the road in no time. You attempt to ignite the engine severally and fail, all you hear is sluggish cranking or even loud silence, interior lights are dim or won’t light up, you put on the radio and the silence persists. The exterior lights are not working either. The battery is drained. Let’s jumpstart the car so you get rolling.
Preliminary Preparation Before the jumpstart
1. Read the Owner’s Manual
Grab and read the owner’s manual instructions on jumpstarting the battery. If you don’t have a copy at hand, find one online.
Hint:
· Jumpstarting may not be allowed at all by some manufacturers. Attempting it may void the warranty.
· Newer models may have jumpstart lugs where you attach the cables instead of attaching directly to the battery terminals.
· Some manuals spell out the precautions to be taken before a jumpstart such as turning on the defroster or removing a fuse.
· Read carefully so you don’t make a costly mistake.
2. Look for a Donor Car
Find a donor car with a fully charged battery whose voltage is the same as that of your car. The voltage is labeled in a visible place on the battery top. It may read ‘12V’ or otherwise. The donor car’s battery should be the same voltage. If the voltage does not match, find another car. You don’t want to risk damage to the electric system.
3. Get Jumper Cables
Bring out the jumper cables from your emergency kit and disentangle them. Ensure the clamps are rust-free. If you don’t have jumper cables, get one from the donor car, if there’s none, ask another motorist for help.
4. Find a Rug / Wire Brush
Have a rug or a wire brush at hand in case you need to clean the battery terminals.
Follow all the instructions carefully. Failure to do this can lead to costly car damage. If you’re not confident you can pull through, contact your mechanic or an experienced motorist.
Safety Precautions before the jumpstart
DO NOT lean over the battery of either car.
DO NOT eat or smoke while jumpstarting a car.
PUT ON rubber gloves and safety goggles for your safety.
Get the Cars Ready for the Jumpstart
1. Drive the donor car towards yours. Park the cars either next to each other or facing each other. They MUST NOT touch. Let there be a 2ft distance between them.
2. Unplug any accessories (cell phone chargers etc.), and turn off the radio, headlights, and all signals from both cars. This is to protect them from power surges emanating from the jumpstart.
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3. Engage the parking brake. Shift both cars to ‘Park’ or ‘P’ for automatic cars and ‘Neutral’ or ’N’ for cars with manual transmission. This ensures the cars won’t roll during the jumpstart.
4. Turn both cars off and remove the keys. This is to ensure the car with the dead battery won’t start when the jumper cable is attached. It protects both engines from power surges reducing the risk of electric shock.
5. Open the hoods and locate batteries in both cars. In some cars, the battery is not easily accessible in the engine compartment, you have to locate the lugs. Find the positive and negative terminals of each car’s batteries/lugs. The positive terminal has a (+) sign with red cables or cover attached. The negative terminal has a (-) sign with black cables or black cover attached. Remove the terminal covers by twisting it anti-clockwise by hand, so to reach the terminals if covered.
6. Inspect the battery. If it’s cracked or leaking, do not jumpstart. The battery could explode. If the battery fluid is frozen, defrost first. A frozen battery can explode if jumpstarted. Check the terminals for white/ green/ blue powder. This is a sign of accumulated corrosion. Clean the terminals with a rug or wire brush.
How to Connect the Cables
1) Connect one end of the positive (red) clamp of the jumper cable to the positive terminal of the drained car’s battery. Ensure it fits securely on the terminal.
2) Connect the other end of the positive (red) clamp of the jumper cable to the positive battery terminal of the donor car.
3) Connect one end of the negative (black) clamp of the jumper cable to the negative terminal of the donor battery.
4) Place the negative (black) end of the jumper cable on an unpainted metal part of the car with the drained battery. Keep it as far from the battery as possible.
NOTE:
The unclamped negative terminal placed on an unpainted metal part of the car with the drained battery will ground the circuit and prevent sparking. Sparks can ignite hydrogen gas produced during a jumpstart putting the battery at risk of an explosion.
Ensure that none of the cables hang down the engine compartment so it’s not caught by moving parts. The positive and negative cables MUST NOT touch.
How to Start the Cars
The Most Recommended Way
Start the donor car and let it idle for 5 to 10 minutes so electricity flows to the dead battery. Turn off the engine and remove jumper cables in the reverse order starting with the black clump on the car with the drained battery. Do not let the cables touch.
Start the car with the drained battery. If it starts, leave it running for at least 15 minutes. If it doesn’t remove the ignition key, connect the jumper cables and attempt another jumpstart. Rev the donor car to increase power supply to the dead battery. If the car fails to start after repeated attempts, you could be facing a different problem. Call your mechanic.
Another Safe Way
Start the donor car and let it idle for 5 to 10 minutes so electricity flow to the dead battery. Start the car with the dead battery when the donor car is still running. If it starts, remove the cables in reverse order starting with the black clamps. Leave the recipient car running for at least 15 minutes so the battery is sufficiently charged.
If it fails, remove the ignition key, readjust the red jumper cable to the battery terminals, and then rev the donor car for roughly 5 minutes. If the car fails to start after several attempts, consult your mechanic.
The Right Way to Disconnect Jumper Cables
Start with the negative (black) jumpstart cable you placed on an unpainted part of your car. Unclamp the other end from the donor car.
Remove the positive clamp of the jumper cable from the donor car.
Finally, disconnect the other end of the positive jumper cable from your car.
Wrapping Up
Battery drain is a common problem that many motorists face. Jumpstarting is easy and safe when done right. Always have a working pair of jumpstart cables in your emergency kit. Do not get stranded. Follow this step-by-step guide to the letter to get back on the road right away.
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