It happens to everyone, sooner or later, even if you’ve always taken excellent care of your vehicle. You’re sitting there, with the ignition key engaged, and the motor should turn over, but you get nothing. Your car is out of juice. And it always seems to happen in the worst possible spot, at the worst possible time. All those times you made sure everything was off when the motor wasn’t running, all those times you checked the battery posts for rust… that won’t help you now!
You should always have your own jumper cables in your car’s trunk, along with other emergency supplies,such as drinking water, flares, an extra blanket and a few days’ worth of nonperishable food items. Many people are willing to help someone with a jump for free, others will expect a small token of gratitude for their time.
Jumping a car is quite simple, but must be done correctly. The vehicle needs to be parked so that the front of each car is close enough for that the cables will reach both batteries. Connect the positive cables to the positive terminals or posts on each battery, then connect the negative cables to the negative posts. After the other person’s car has run for a few minutes, try to start your car. If your car still will not start, continue to let the other car run for a few more minutes, then try to start your car again. When your car does start, leave the cables on for a few more minutes, and then remove them. The negative cables should be removed first, in the opposite order they were placed there, and then the positive cables should be removed, also in the opposite order they were placed on the terminals. Never let the unattached cable ends touch, as the charge will create a bunch of sparks that can be very dangerous, and never touch any of them yourself!
If your car still won’t start, and it’s a manual transmission, you can try to start it the old fashion way… by push starting it. This can be dangerous and should only be attempted when everything else has failed, and you are in a safe location with no other traffic around.
To push start your car, you need to have the key in the ‘on’ position, with the car in first gear. While holding the clutch to the floor, either push the car forward or have someone else push it forward (which is much safer than doing this by yourself). When the car is moving steadily, release the clutch quickly. Don’t slowly let it rise up. This should start your engine.
If these methods to start your car do not work, your battery most likely needs to be replaced. Or, you may have a more serious problem that requires the assistance of a professional. When these methods don’t work, you should call Desert Oasis European Auto Repair. We can get your car running, or provide for any other repair services your car may need. We can be reached weekdays 7:30 am to 5 pm, or visit us on the web.
