Here in San Francisco, people experience dead car batteries every day. What happens if today is your day? A dead battery can set your whole schedule back and certainly put a damper on your mood. While calling for professional emergency roadside assistance may be the safest option, it is possible to attempt a battery recharge or car jump start on your own. With just a set of jumper cables and a willing friend, you can be on your way in no time. Here’s a little step-by-step guide to help you know what to do next time you find yourself with a dead battery.
This is how you can jump start your car in seven simple steps:
1. Park the cars opposite each other, and then make sure they’re both turned off. Leave a few feet of distance between the cars, and then open up their front hoods.
2. Make sure to wear safety gloves and glasses before you start poking around beneath the hood.
3. Locate each battery and its positive and negative terminals. If the dead battery looks like it’s leaking or corroded, do not attempt a battery recharge. You could damage both vehicles and potentially put yourself in danger. If it looks normal, remove any covers from over the positive and negative terminals of each battery.
4. Now it’s time to place the cables, but be careful – there is a very specific order in which the cables should be placed, and the clamps should never touch each other:
- Attach a positive clamp to the positive terminal of the dead battery
- Attach the other positive clamp to the positive terminal of the working battery.
- Attach a negative clamp to the negative terminal of the working battery.
- Attach the other negative clamp to any unpainted metal that is not near the battery, such as a bolt on the engine manifold. Do not attach the clamp to the dead battery’s negative post.
5. Start the engine of the working car and rev the engine a little for one minute to charge the dead battery. After one minute, you should attempt starting your car.
6. If it starts, immediately disconnect the cables in reverse order of placement. Then rev your car a little and keep your car running for at least 20 minutes before turning it off again. This helps charge the battery and ensure that your car will start again the next time you need to take off.
7. If it doesn’t start, check the grip/placement of the clamps and try again. If you still can’t get it started, it’s probably time to call for a tow truck company.
While it is possible to do a car jump start on your own, it is highly recommended that you call a professional team like Towing San Francisco to prevent any possible damage or injury that could happen from attempting it on your own. Not every car or battery is alike, and Towing San Francisco’s professional team would understand the differences and know how to safely get your battery recharged. Their 24/7 service can be there for you whenever emergency calls, and their fast response time, friendly team, and affordable prices will help you get your day get back on track and your mood back to where it was. Don’t let a dead battery ruin your day – call P&P Towing San Francisco!
