How Jump Start A Car Or Truck Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

                          5 - 10 minutes

Sections

How to set up a warning triangle
4 steps
How jump start a Car or Truck
13 steps

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Introduction

Electric vehicles are also equipped with a 12-volt starter battery to activate the high-voltage system. Empty or defective starter batteries are therefore also possible in this vehicle category. The jump start basically works the same as with any petrol or diesel engine.

Jump starting is usually allowed for electric cars, but using them to jump start another car is usually not permitted by the manufacturer. Electric vehicles are normally equipped with smaller starter batteries. For this reason, in the worst case, an electric car that provides power for a jump start could damage the donor battery or the on-board electrical systems.

It is important to follow the proper procedure when jump starting a car to avoid damaging the vehicles or causing harm to yourself.

What you need

Step 1

              Put on a safety vest

Take a safety vest and put it on. You can usually find one in or near your vehicle safety/first aid kit.

Take a safety vest and put it on. You can usually find one in or near your vehicle safety/first aid kit.

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Step 2

              Take out the warning triangle

You can usually find your warning triangle in a compartment on the left side of your boot. On some older cars you might also find it in the tailgate or on top of the reserve wheel under the boot.
Sometimes the warning triangle and first aid kit come together in a compact combi-pack. Then the warning triangle will be in a red tube in the first aid bag.
Since the position of the warning triangle varies from car to car, you should read the manual and memorize where the first aid kit and warning triangle are stashed in your car, before you get into an accident, so that you don’t have to waste time searching.

You can usually find your warning triangle in a compartment on the left side of your boot. On some older cars you might also find it in the tailgate or on top of the reserve wheel under the boot.

Sometimes the warning triangle and first aid kit come together in a compact combi-pack. Then the warning triangle will be in a red tube in the first aid bag.

Since the position of the warning triangle varies from car to car, you should read the manual and memorize where the first aid kit and warning triangle are stashed in your car, before you get into an accident, so that you don’t have to waste time searching.

Step 3

              Unpack and unfold the warning triangle

Outside the dangerous area, ideally beyond the crash barrier, unpack and fully unfold the warning triangle.
Depending on the design, twist the two lower bars in the middle until they form a cross, or fold out the four feet - 2 each at the bottom corners of the triangle - forwards and backwards until the warning triangle can be set up stably.
Above the base are the three red bars. Two of them can be pulled up and locked together to form the legs of the triangle. The plastic inner film folds open automatically.
In order not to forget the warning triangle when driving off, you should put the packaging on the driver’s seat - so you remember it immediately when you get in.

Outside the dangerous area, ideally beyond the crash barrier, unpack and fully unfold the warning triangle.

Depending on the design, twist the two lower bars in the middle until they form a cross, or fold out the four feet - 2 each at the bottom corners of the triangle - forwards and backwards until the warning triangle can be set up stably.

Above the base are the three red bars. Two of them can be pulled up and locked together to form the legs of the triangle. The plastic inner film folds open automatically.

In order not to forget the warning triangle when driving off, you should put the packaging on the driver’s seat - so you remember it immediately when you get in.

Step 4

              Setting up the warning triangle

Walk towards traffic while keeping the warning triangle visible in front of you, ideally at chest height.
Only walk at the very edge of the lane, ideally behind the crash barrier.
Now set it up on the roadside - the distance to the vehicle should be around 50 meters in urban areas, 100 meters on country roads and at least 150 meters on the motorway.

Walk towards traffic while keeping the warning triangle visible in front of you, ideally at chest height.

Only walk at the very edge of the lane, ideally behind the crash barrier.

Now set it up on the roadside - the distance to the vehicle should be around 50 meters in urban areas, 100 meters on country roads and at least 150 meters on the motorway.

Step 5

              Unlock the hood

Pull the hood release lever. It’s usually located inside the car, near the steering column.
If you can’t find the release lever in your car, it might help to consult the car’s owner’s manual.

Pull the hood release lever. It’s usually located inside the car, near the steering column.

If you can’t find the release lever in your car, it might help to consult the car’s owner’s manual.

Step 6

              Open the hood

Raise the hood by simultaneously lifting and pressing the hood latch release. It is usually a paddle located beneath the front edge of the hood, near the center or center-right.

Raise the hood by simultaneously lifting and pressing the hood latch release. It is usually a paddle located beneath the front edge of the hood, near the center or center-right.

Step 7

              Secure the hood

At this point, depending on the vehicle, your hood may raise and support itself automatically, if not, use one hand to hold the hood open temporarily while securing the hood with the prop rod.
Lift one end of the prop rod up or out to release it from the front area of the engine bay.
Swing the end of the prop rod up and slide it into the corresponding cutout on the underside of the hood.
Make sure the hood is well secured before you let go with your other hand, or it may fall and injure you.

At this point, depending on the vehicle, your hood may raise and support itself automatically, if not, use one hand to hold the hood open temporarily while securing the hood with the prop rod.

Lift one end of the prop rod up or out to release it from the front area of the engine bay.

Swing the end of the prop rod up and slide it into the corresponding cutout on the underside of the hood.

Make sure the hood is well secured before you let go with your other hand, or it may fall and injure you.

Step 8

              Locate the battery

Locate the battery on both cars.
The battery might be hidden under a cover. Usually, you can just look for a car battery-sized plastic cover with a battery pictogram on it.

Locate the battery on both cars.

The battery might be hidden under a cover. Usually, you can just look for a car battery-sized plastic cover with a battery pictogram on it.

Step 9

              Connect the red wire

Connect the red wire to the + lead of the battery in the donor car.
Then connect the other end of the red wire to the + lead of the dead battery.
The + lead is typically covered by a plastic cover. If both leads are covered the + lead is usually red.
If you mix up the + and - poles when starting the vehicle, you risk expensive damage to the vehicle’s electrical system.

Connect the red wire to the + lead of the battery in the donor car.

Then connect the other end of the red wire to the + lead of the dead battery.

The + lead is typically covered by a plastic cover. If both leads are covered the + lead is usually red.

If you mix up the + and - poles when starting the vehicle, you risk expensive damage to the vehicle’s electrical system.

Step 10

              Connect the black wire

Connect the black wire to the - lead on the donor cars battery.
Then connect the other end of the black wire to the ground connection/ground point or a metal part of the motor block of the broken-down car.
You can typically find the ground connection/ground point written in your car’s manual.
Do not connect the black wire to the - lead of the dead battery!

Connect the black wire to the - lead on the donor cars battery.

Then connect the other end of the black wire to the ground connection/ground point or a metal part of the motor block of the broken-down car.

You can typically find the ground connection/ground point written in your car’s manual.

Do not connect the black wire to the - lead of the dead battery!

Step 11

              Start the motor of the donor car

Start the motor of the donor car

Start the motor of the donor car

Step 12

              Try to start the broken-down car

After a couple of minutes, try to start the broken-down car.
If it doesn’t work, try again a minute later.
After the third unsuccessful attempt to start the car may get damaged. Then consider getting professional help.

After a couple of minutes, try to start the broken-down car.

If it doesn’t work, try again a minute later.

After the third unsuccessful attempt to start the car may get damaged. Then consider getting professional help.

Step 13

              Keep both cars running

If the broken-down car has succeeded in starting, let both vehicles run for a few more minutes.

If the broken-down car has succeeded in starting, let both vehicles run for a few more minutes.

Step 14

              Switch on power consuming electronics in the broken-down car

When the engine is running in the recipient car, switch on larger, power hungry electric loads, such as the AC, radio and lights to avoid voltage peaks and thus protect the on-board electronics.

When the engine is running in the recipient car, switch on larger, power hungry electric loads, such as the AC, radio and lights to avoid voltage peaks and thus protect the on-board electronics.

Step 15

              Remove the jumper cables

First disconnect the black wire from the donor car, then from the broken-down car.
Remove the red wire last.

First disconnect the black wire from the donor car, then from the broken-down car.

Remove the red wire last.

Step 16

              Switch off the electronics

Keep the broken-down car’s engine running and switch off the unneeded electronics again.

Keep the broken-down car’s engine running and switch off the unneeded electronics again.

Step 17

              Drive carefully

Watch out for any warning lights on the dash and call a professional if any problems occur.
In the event of problems occurring, the electrical support for driving functions such as power steering can fail.

Watch out for any warning lights on the dash and call a professional if any problems occur.

In the event of problems occurring, the electrical support for driving functions such as power steering can fail.

Drive safe and don’t forget to recharge or replace your battery!

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Author

                    Sebastian Dorr

Member since: 08/19/2018

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What you need#

Member-Contributed Guide

Introduction

What you need