Blog Layout
Jump Starts: What You Need to Know
Admin • Feb 05, 2020
If your vehicle won't start, what should you do next? One common issue with autos that won't start is a dead battery. If a dead battery is the problem, jump-starting the car could get you back on the road quickly. Here is a basic guide to jump-starting an automobile.
Understanding Cables
To perform the jump start you will typically need a pair of jumper cables. One cable, which has a negative charge, is black, while the other cable, which carries a positive charge, is red. Each cable has an alligator clip on both ends. The clips are attached to the leads, or terminals, on both the dead battery and a good battery during the jump start procedure.
Understanding Donor Cars
When you have a dead battery on your hands and want to use a pair of jumper cables to start the car, you need a working battery to boost the bad battery. Generally, the working battery will come from the vehicle of a driver who volunteers to assist you. The other vehicle is called the donor car. The donor car might belong to anyone nearby who agrees to help or a friend or relative who comes to your location.
Establishing a Connection
The jump start process involves connecting the bad battery and the good battery of the donor car. You make the connection by attaching the alligator clips of the jumper cables to the positive and negative terminals on each battery. After the connection is made, starting the donor car often transfers enough power to the dead battery to start the stalled car.
A critical point regarding connecting the jumper cables to each battery is that the positive, or red, clip must go onto the positive terminal and the negative, or black, clip must go onto the negative terminal. Make certain that you do this correctly because attaching a clip to the wrong battery terminal can cause sparks, a short circuit, or even cause a battery to explode.
To make sure that the connections are safe, look for a positive sign next to the positive terminal and a negative sign by the negative terminal.
Checking for a Match
Another key point to remember is that the voltages of the two batteries need to match. So, if the dead battery is 12 volts, then the battery of the donor vehicle should be 12 volts as well. Attempting to jump-start a car when the two batteries do not have the same voltage could damage one or both of the vehicles.
Ensuring Safety
Certain safety precautions are necessary when attempting a jump-start.
Place each car in park or neutral and apply the parking brake. Do not let the two vehicles touch each other. Ensure that the lights and turn signals are off in each car. Avoid leaning over either battery. Don't attempt a jump start if a battery is cracked or leaking fluid.
Also, drivers should check their owner's manual before any jump start. Some manuals may advise owners not to engage in jump-starts.
Following the Procedure
The first step in jump-starting a car is to attach a positive clip to the positive terminal of the bad battery. Then connect the other positive alligator clip to the positive terminal of the good battery.
Next, connect one negative alligator clip to the negative terminal of the good battery and the other negative clip to an unpainted metal part of the vehicle with the dead battery. Do not attach a negative clip to a dead battery, as this is a safety hazard.
Finally, start the engine of the car with the good battery and allow it to idle for a few minutes. Then turn on the ignition in the other car and see it starts.
Jump starting a car is a good way to get a car back on the road, but it's also a bit tricky and not everyone will want to try it. If you want to make certain the job is done right, let the professionals at Rusko's Service Center perform this task. We will be glad to come to your location and perform a jump start. Contact us
for your roadside assistance needs.
The moment you see your car keys sitting in your car and realize that the doors are locked, you may wonder what you need to do to gain access to your car and retrieve your keys. Here are the steps you should follow if you have locked your keys in your vehicle.
Whether you drive a semi-trailer or a commercial box truck, road safety is likely one of your top priorities. Tires are at particular risk on large vehicles that travel long distances. A blowout at highway speeds can lead to roll-overs, damage to your truck or nearby passenger vehicles, and injuries. You can avoid these problems if you know three common issues that affect your truck's tires.
An accident or vehicle malfunction can happen at any time, and it is never convenient for the owner. A tow may be the only option. No one wants to leave their vehicle behind, but sometimes it is necessary for safety reasons or because of other responsibilities. Drivers must be cautious when a roadside tow means a vehicle is left without any occupants. The owner could experience legal problems or incur more expenses if they do not handle the situation appropriately. A few extra steps can help ensure a vehicle comes home safely or arrives at a repair facility without any additional damage.
If you're a contractor who runs your own business, your goals are to make customers happy, grow your business, and increase your profits. And if you're like most contractors, you rely on one or more vehicles to reach your service customer. Your vehicle transports you, your employees, and important gear and tools to a job site. Your business flow suffers if you're unable to reach that customer when vehicular emergency grounds you. So learn about three compelling reasons contractors need emergency roadside assistance.
The trucking industry continues to steadily grow and generated over $700 billion in 2017. This type of growth combined with the nature of trucking only means an increased potential for accidents among truckers. Trucking accidents block or snarl traffic, cause damage to goods in transit, and cause injury and fatalities to passengers. Rollover accidents account for a mere 3.3% of truck accidents, but this dramatic crash type causes more than half of fatalities. These staggering statistics highlight the need for increased trucker awareness of how to prevent a rollover scenario. Take a look at how to avoid these three surprising causes of semi-truck rollovers.
One of the biggest reasons people get stranded is tire issues. Since you never really know when your tires may cause you to be stranded, problems can put you in a dangerous position. Therefore, you want to do your best to prevent tire problems to the best of your ability. The information below will help guide you through checking for tire related problems, help you keep your tires in better shape, and educate you on what to do if you experience tire issues while you are driving.
When you're moving within the 48 contiguous United States, transporting your belongings by road is usually the best option regardless of the amount of distance between your current house and final destination. Moving certain items by ground for long distances, however, can be difficult. For many homeowners, vehicles can present particularly tricky transportation challenges during a move, especially when the household has several personal vehicles and any additional recreational vehicles. In this situation, you have to determine how best to get your moving truck and your truck, car, SUV, boat, or RV to your new home. Long-haul towing services can provide you with the perfect solution to this dilemma. In this blog, we provide you with the information you need to decide if towing is the right choice for moving with your vehicle.
Although engines naturally produce a lot of heat, excessive heat underneath the hood of your commercial truck can increase the risk of engine damage. Due to long-distance travel, trailer trucks are especially prone to overheating. Whether you are experiencing an overheating situation with your engine or you want to take precautions and avoid engine trouble, here is a quick guide to help you understand the reasons why your truck's engine could overheat and how you can deal with this problem.
The fact that your child is now old enough to drive is a scary concept to embrace, but once your child has a taste of the open road, you can't do much to hold them back. However, you can do a lot when it comes to keeping your child safe on the road. Whether you are planning to buy a car for your child or they will drive your vehicle, address these important safety tips before handing over the keys.
Deer mating season is over in Michigan, but that does not mean that drivers can relax. Unfortunately, wildlife collisions are a threat any time of the year, and many accidents happen during the summer months when people spend more time in rural areas to take in the gorgeous views. Whether you've lived around wildlife all your life or are hoping to catch your first view of a live deer in the wild, use these tips to prevent a dangerous collision with animals on the road.
An unexpected breakdown can catch anyone off guard. Fortunately, you can always call for a tow truck to transport your vehicle to the nearest shop. In the meantime, it'll take some time for your tow truck to arrive. To keep yourself and fellow passengers safe, here are a few things you should do while you wait.
Getting stranded on the side of the road, or even in a parking lot, is never less fun than in the middle of winter. Sadly, snowy weather and cold temperatures only make car trouble more likely. Though you cannot guarantee you won't run into an emergency situation on the road this winter, there are a few preventative steps you can take to decrease the risk - and to ensure you're prepared if such an emergency does arise.
Most people don't plan when their car will need to be towed. Your car may not start one day and need to be towed to a mechanic, you may be involved in an accident and need your car towed to a collision center or you may have a tire blowout and need your car towed to a repair shop.
313-274-4565
ComCheck, EFS, T-Checks