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16/03/2021 News

HOW TO JUMPSTART YOUR CAR IN AN EMERGENCY BREAKDOWN

No driver wants to experience a dead battery and a car that will not start, especially in the middle of a busy day. In case this happens to you, the fastest way to resolve it is by jump starting your car with the help of another vehicle.

A ‘jumpstart’ involves making a temporary electricity connection from another, similar vehicle with a healthy battery. Read along to know what to expect if you ever need to do this on your own.

First, make sure you always keep jumper cables in the car. The cable must be thick enough to properly carry electricity current. Choose the right cable at an auto shop to avoid short circuiting in the middle of a jumpstart because of cable overheat.

The next step is to look for help from a vehicle of a similar make or engine capacity, as both cars will usually have the same battery voltage. Park the cars close enough face to face. Put the transmission in a neutral position (“P” in an automatic car), and make sure to pull the hand brakes in both cars.

READ ALSO: CAR MAINTENANCE: WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER 50 THOUSAND KM

Turn off the ignition on both cars before connecting any cable. Open the hoods and identify where the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals of the batteries are located. You may also recognize the positive terminal from its red cover. If you notice dirt on the terminals, use a piece of cloth to clean them.

Next, connect the red jumper cable to the dead battery’s positive clamp and do the same to the car with a healthy battery. Make sure the clamps are properly connected. After this, using the black jumper cable, connect the negative end to the negative terminal of the healthy battery. The other end of the black cable should go to the dead car’s ground, chassis, or other metal surface. Be careful not to connect the end of the black cable, which is the negative cable, to the dead battery as this may cause a short circuit.

Now, start the healthy car, followed by starting your car. Once the engine runs, wait for a minute or longer. You may need to keep the engines of both cars running for a few moments to let the dead battery re-charge. Leave the cables where they are at this point.

If your car refuses to start or has no reaction, leave the cables to allow for a longer re-charge.

Once you’re done, you may disconnect the jumper cables in a reverse order. Start with the black cable and followed with the red, or positive cable.

To avoid getting yourself in this position, inspect your battery condition regularly, especially if you’re using lead-acid battery. If you notice white crust build-up, clean them up immediately using cloth soaked in warm water. Keep in mind that your car’s battery functions like a heart of a human’s body; without it, your car will be lifeless. Make sure your battery is always in good condition and be ready to go anytime.

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