Car maintenance for girls: How to jump start your car

June 21, 2010 - PRLog -- Continuing our mini-series on car maintenance basics for beginners…

Don’t automatically call out the breakdown truck if your car refuses to budge. Have a go at jump-starting it yourself with our step-by-step guide.

A jump start is a way of passing power from one engine into another. So if your battery is flat or your car won’t start, all you may need to breathe life into your car is a set of jump leads (available in all good motoring stores) and a friendly driver who’s willing to lend you their engine. The rest is as easy as 1, 2, and 3:

1. Connect the jump leads

Position the cars close together so that the jump leads can stretch between the two batteries, but don’t allow the vehicles to touch. Taking the jump leads, clamp the red positive (marked with a +) cable to the positive (+) terminal on the flat battery*. Then clamp the other end of the red cable to the positive (+) terminal on the working battery. Take the black negative (-) cable and clamp one end to the negative (-) terminal on the working battery and the other end to the negative (-) terminal on the flat battery.  

2.Start the engine

Ensure all electrical equipment – such as lights, radio, heater etc – is switched off in the working car before starting up its engine. Leave the engine running for a few minutes, then start up the engine of the dead car. If the dead car’s engine splutters but won’t start, switch off and allow the other car to rev a bit longer before trying again.  

3.Disconnect the jump leads

Once the flat battery has started to run you can remove the jump leads*. This must be done in the reverse order to how they were connected. First disconnect the black negative (-) cable from the flat battery, then remove the black negative (-) cable from the working battery. Next disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the working battery and finally remove the red positive (+) cable from the flat battery.

*Note of caution: it’s important when connecting and disconnecting the jump leads to make sure they don’t touch each other or any other moving parts in the engine.

Elsewhere on this site you will find step-by-step instructions on:

• How to top up your oil : http://www.privilege.com/motor/changing-car-oil.htm

• How to top up the coolant : http://www.privilege.com/motor/topping-up-coolant.htm

• How to check tyre pressure : http://www.privilege.com/motor/checking-tyre-pressure.htm

If you are not sure of any procedure, then visit your mechanic or local garage.
Jump leads in the boot are reassuring, but for more serious breakdowns, why not take out Privilege breakdown cover to be extra safe, you can even include it as part of your car insurance cover. Terms and conditions apply.

For more information on how to tailor your car insurance policy, visit the Extra Cover section of our website.

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Don’t automatically call out the breakdown truck if your car refuses to budge. Have a go at jump-starting it yourself with our step-by-step guide.