Battery Jump-Start Demonstration: “Can I Borrow Some Power?”

If the car battery is dead:

Before You Leave: It’s best to buy a set of jumper cables (also known as “jumping cables”) and work gloves.

If the Car Won’t Start: Stay calm, and place the warning triangle a safe distance from the car. On the highway, place it about 150 meters away.

Ask for Help: If it’s safe to do so, ask passing drivers if they would be willing to assist you with jump-starting. Once you find a helpful driver, begin the jump-start process.

Jumper Cable Operation Manual
Position the Cars: Position the two cars facing each other.

Open the Hoods: Open the hoods of both vehicles, locate the batteries, and identify the positive and negative terminals. Typically, the positive terminal is red and the negative terminal is black, marked with “+” and “-” signs. The jumper cables also have two lines: red and black, corresponding to the positive and negative terminals, respectively.

Keep the Donor Car Running: The car with the charged battery should remain running, so do not turn off its engine.

Connecting the Jumper Cables: Follow the “positive first, negative second” principle:

Attach the red jumper cable (positive) to the positive terminal of both cars.

Disconnecting the Jumper Cables: Once the dead car starts, keep it running. Remove the jumper cables in reverse order:

First, disconnect the black negative cable from both cars.
Then, remove the red positive cable from both cars. The jump-start is now complete.
Precautions When Stuck in Traffic for a Long Time
If the fuel tank is low or you want to save fuel by turning off the engine while stuck in traffic, ensure all lights are turned off, and avoid using the air conditioning, radio, or windshield wipers. You can only leave the radio on if necessary. This is because when the engine is off, these devices will drain the car’s battery. Even if the headlights are on, the battery won’t last more than 2 hours. In some cars, the battery may not even last 1 hour.

If all devices are running, the battery could be drained in as little as 30 minutes, and the car may fail to start.

Thus, always ensure the fuel tank is adequately filled. It’s best to refuel when passing a gas station. This way, if you’re stuck in traffic, you don’t have to turn off the engine, avoiding a dead battery.