With many of us still working from home and electing to order our essentials online rather than venture out to the shops, being stranded with a flat car battery could be an annoying reality, even if you drive the most modern of cars.
Chairperson of the Motor Industry Workshop Association (MIWA), a proud association of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI), Dewald Ranft said that’s why it’s best to make sure you’re aware of how to jumpstart your vehicle in the correct way.
“While the jumpstarting procedure is relatively standard for all vehicles on the road today, boost starting can cause serious damage to the vehicle’s electrical system and computer if done incorrectly,” said Ranft.
“It’s therefore important to first consult the owner’s manual for any specific boost starting instructions, as well as to identify first where the jumpstart terminals in your car are located.”
Once this has been done, he advised lining up the car with the flat battery as close as possible to another vehicle with the booster battery. Both cars need to be turned off, handbrakes need to be up and the gear selector in neutral or park position before you connect the cables.
Ranft added it’s good to take some time to familiarise yourself with the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals of both car batteries so you know exactly which one is which.
“All batteries are clearly marked, so if you can’t find it, it’s probably under caked-on corrosion around the terminals.”
He suggested wiping off any battery acid that may have leaked; however, if the battery is cracked and liquid is leaking out, you should not go any further.
“If all seems well, simply clean off any corrosion around the dead battery terminals and if you have tools, loosen the wires from the terminals, clean them off and then retighten the wires to the shiny posts.
“Corroded posts prevent the power from getting through the cables and into your battery to revive it.
“Now you’re ready to connect the car battery jumper cables. Usually the positive battery cable is red or orange, and the negative, or ground cable is black – but always check for yourself just to be sure,” he stressed.
Remember that the cables must be connected in the correct order for safety reasons. Then do the following:
• First connect one positive end of the jumper cable to the positive terminal of the dead battery.
• Then connect the other positive end of the jumper cable to the positive terminal of the good battery.
• Next connect the one negative end of the jumper cable to the negative terminal of the good battery.
• Connect the other negative end of the jumper cable to a shiny nut or bolt on the dead vehicle. This will need to be a grounded piece on the engine or on the frame of the vehicle. You should only connect to the negative terminal on the dead battery as a last option to avoid an explosion by spark.
• When the car batteries are hooked together, let them run for a minute or two before you try to start the dead vehicle.
• Start the vehicle and let the engine run for approximately three to five minutes to allow the flat battery to pick-up voltage which will enable the battery to function on its own once the jumping cables are removed.
• Before removing the cables, switch on one or two of your electrical components like lights or aircon to avoid any high voltage spikes to the electrical system.
• Once the engine starts, remove the cables in the reverse order that you connected them. Also switch off any electrical components you may have switched on during the process and drive the vehicle for a few kilometres to assist recharging the battery.
Also Read: The ultimate diary for the motoring enthusiast
