How to Jump-Start a Car
How to Jump-Start a Car in Eugene, OR
No one likes to deal with a dead battery — it can be a major disruption to your busy schedule. Leaving car lights on or enduring extreme outdoor temperatures can potentially cause your car’s engine to kick the bucket. If you still can’t find the culprit, your car might have a larger problem that needs to be diagnosed. Here at Volkswagen Eugene, we’ve got your back — explore our step-by-step guide below in order to achieve a successful jump-start.
What to Do Before You Jump-Start Your Car
Before jump-starting, double check:
- Your battery. Don’t make an attempt to jump-start a compromised battery that shows any sign of damage, leaks or corrosion. Call us today and our trained technicians can swiftly take care of this tricky situation.
- For metal objects and open flames. Remove any tools, phones, watches, jewelry or cigarettes nearby — you want to contain the sparks within the engine, not outside of it.
- Your key. Remove the key from the ignition and keep it in a safe place.
- Your owner’s manual. To stay on the safe side, refer to your owner’s manual for details and instructions on how to jump-start your particular vehicle.
- The battery voltage. Always ensure that the dead vehicle and the donor car contain the same voltage. Many vehicles have either a 12- or six-volt battery. Never try to jump-start your car with a vehicle that has a higher voltage than yours.
What to Do Next
When you’re ready to jump-start your car, follow these tips:
- Prepare both cars. Park the donor car next to yours with easy access to both engines and place them in park or neutral. Then, turn them off and use the parking brake. Double check and make sure the cars aren’t touching each other.
- Get out your jumper cables. This equipment comes with four alligator clips with two on both ends. They’re also color-coded in order to lend a straightforward process for the jump-start — red means positive and black means negative. Here’s the order in which you should place these colored clips on each vehicle:
- Start the donor car and let it run for one to two minutes.
- Now it’s time to start the dead car.
- Without turning your car off, remove the cables in reverse order from how you put them on.
- Keep your vehicle running for at least 30 minutes. This will help the battery retain the charge so it can start up properly next time.
a. RED to DEAD : Connect one of the red clips to the positive (+) terminal on your dead battery.
b. RED to DONOR : Connect the other red clip to the positive (+) terminal on the donor vehicle’s battery.
c. BLACK to DONOR: On the SAME CAR (donor vehicle), connect one of the black clips to the negative (-) terminal on the donor vehicle’s battery.
d. BLACK to METAL: Now, back to the dead battery. Connect the other black clip to bare metal that is not next to the battery. This can be an unpainted metal bolt or bracket.
a. If it turns on, don’t celebrate quite yet! Let it run for one to two minutes. This allows the vehicle to recharge, as power travels along the jumper cables and into your battery.
b. Conversely, if the car doesn’t start, you’ll need to wait a little longer for it to charge. However, if it still doesn’t turn on after that, there may be a larger underlying issue. Keep scrolling and schedule a service appointment with us today and our experts will get your ride in tip-top shape.
Does your car need a jump frequently? This is a telltale sign that you need a battery replacement. Schedule a service appointment with us and we’ll not only install a new battery in your vehicle, but we’ll dispose of the dead one with care. We look forward to serving you soon at Volkswagen Eugene!
If you have any questions about jump-starting a car, what battery is right for your Volkswagen or anything else, we’ll be happy to help. Contact us online or stop by Volkswagen Eugene at 89320 N. Game Farm Rd., Eugene, OR 97408 . We’re located near Springfield, Salem, Roseburg and Albany.