Safety Tips
Jump Starting
Occasionally you may find yourself in the situation of having a flat battery and no power to start the engine. We recommend you call for help from your road service provider or a battery specialist.
Most modern vehicles with electronic management systems and electronic ignition must only be jump started with specially protected leads or major damage can be done to the electrical system. You should also consult the vehicle owner's handbook for the recommended procedure.
Below is an overview of the procedure in the event of an emergency.
- Check both vehicles have a battery with the same voltage
- Turn off all electrical loads (e.g. air conditioner, etc.)
- Check the vehicles aren't touching, and are in 'Park' or 'Neutral'
- On negative grounded systems, connect both ends of one jumper lead to the positive (+) terminal of both batteries
- Connect one end of the other jumper lead to the negative (-) terminal of the booster battery
- Connect the other end of that cable to the engine block or car frame of the vehicle to be started
- Ensure both jumper cables are clear of fans or other moving parts
- Start the engine of the booster car
- Attempt to start the engine of the vehicle with the flat battery
- If the vehicle does not start within 30 seconds, call an auto electrician
- If the vehicle does start, allow both cars to idle for 10 minutes to ensure the booster car can 'cycle' (reduces the chance of electrical damage)
- After starting, remove cables in reverse order, starting with the one connected to the engine block or car frame