As we head into some cold weather and possible snow it is important to know how to jump start your car battery in case of an emergency. Cold weather can really wear down batteries and make them more prone to draining and not turning on in the morning when you need them. Other things like leaving lights on, the battery being defective or general age of the battery, can all contribute to a battery that won’t start.
If you get stuck in the cold this winter then follow these simple steps to get your car up and running again!
- To get started you will need, jump leads and to find another car with a good battery to jump start yours on. Avoid using a hybrid or an electric car as this can damage their car.
- Ensure that all electricals in the car are switched off including, the lights, the radio and sat-nav etc. For safety reasons ensure you are not wearing anything metal, or that anything metal can touch the battery.
- Check over the battery before you begin. Do not attempt to jump start the car if there is any visible damage to the battery.
- Pull the other car in as close to yours as possible. Switch both cars off, open the bonnets and remove the keys from the ignitions.
- Attach the red cable to the positive side of the dead battery, this should be recognisable by a red cover or a plus symbol +. You may have to remove a cover to access these metal attachments. Then attach the other end of the red cable to the positive side of the working battery. Again, this should be clear by a red cover or + symbol.
- Attach one end of the black cable to the negative side of the good battery. This will feature a – minus symbol. Attach the other end of this black cable, to an unpainted metal part of the engine.
- Start the car that is helping, after a minute or so attempt to start the engine of the car with the drained battery. If the battery does not start with this help it may be time to call a garage.
- If the engine does start up again, let both of the cars run for 5 mins before removing the cables.
- Be careful when removing the cables. Ensure both cars are switched off disconnect the black cable first, start from the car with the drained battery.
- Drive your car around for about 30 minutes to let the engine recharge as much as possible.
If your battery keeps dying you may need a new battery or other car parts.
