United Tire and Service News

How to Properly Jump-Start a Car

12/7/2020 12:30:00 PM | (432) View Count | Return

At some point in time, you'll try turning the ignition just to be met with a cranking sound, and then nothing. The most likely issue is a dead battery. Car batteries are found in every combustion engine vehicle in the world. When your battery dies on the road, the best way to get your vehicle started is through jump-starting. How to Correctly Perform a Jump Start?

Why is Your Car Battery Important?

If your battery is dead, then it can't provide sufficient power to create a spark. Your car needs this spark to start the combustion process within your engine, which provides power to the rest of your vehicle. So the battery performs the important job of starting your engine and powering up all the electronic components in your vehicle.

What Causes Your Battery to Die?

While batteries are built to have a working life of around 3 years, several things can lead up to your battery dying quickly.

Faulty alternator
Lights remain on
Parasitic drain (auto-electrical issues that allow excessive battery use even when your vehicle is turned off)
Sulfate build-up due to extreme temperatures
Corroded battery cables / electrodes
Excessive short-trips
Old / Faulty battery

What is Jump Starting?

If your car battery dies on you while you're on the road, then getting a jump-start is the best way to get to your nearest mechanic. Jump starting (also known as a boost), is the process of starting a vehicle with a dead battery by providing power from an external power source. This power source can be another vehicle's battery or a portable jump-start battery.

How to Correctly Perform a Jump Start?

Never try to jump-start another car if the voltage of the two batteries are different
Switch off the engine & electronic devices before performing the jump-start
Connect one end of the red cable to the positive pole of the dead battery and the other end to the positive pole of the full battery.
Connect one end of the black cable to the negative pole of the full battery and the other end to any metallic part of the car with the empty battery.
Once the cables are connected, start the engine of the car with the full battery.
Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery for 15 seconds max.
Once both engines start, remove jumper cables in the reverse of how you set them up.

Shop for Battery Replacements or Get Alternator Repair Services in Pennsylvania

Now that you're on the road again, drive to the nearest United Tire & Service store near you to get professional alternator repair or to get new car batteries installed. We're located in Ambler, Bethlehem, Concordville, Downingtown, Emmaus, Feasterville, Phoenixville, Southampton, Paoli, West Chester, and Willow Grove, PA. Visit our store today or schedule an appointment!

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