How to start a car when the battery is dead

Most car drivers have experienced a dead car battery at least once. This problem can be quite troublesome when the car is rolling in the middle of the road, taking a long time to call for car rescue. Therefore, the owner needs to equip himself with some knowledge to be able to solve this problem safely and quickly.

Start the car with a jump starter

Using a jump starter is by far the fastest and most effective way to jump start your car when the battery is dead. This device is like a power bank with jumper cables that can be easily connected to the car's battery, providing enough power to the battery.

First, the user needs to make sure that the battery booster is fully charged before using it. Then, connect the positive cable of the battery booster (usually with a bright red or orange clamp) to the positive terminal of the car battery. At the same time, connect the negative cable (usually with a black clamp) to the negative cable of the battery. After making sure that everything is completely secure, all the driver has to do is press the power button to turn on the battery booster.

Your car may make some noises to indicate that it is receiving power. Once the engine can start, turn off the jump starter and disconnect it from the car.

For those who regularly use cars, we should buy a battery booster to be proactive in case of an accident. In Vietnam, it costs from 2.5 million to 3 million VND, is very small in size, and does not significantly affect the cargo space of the car. Another plus point is that the battery booster can provide enough power for the car to start immediately after it is connected to the car battery. In addition, some types also display the capacity of the car's generator, making it easy for us to know if it is faulty or not.

Start a car by "hooking" the battery from another car

If you don’t have a jump starter, you have another option to power your car battery without calling a technician. You can jump start your car by connecting the dead battery to a good battery from another car. However, this method requires the help of another car owner.

Whether it’s a friend or a complete stranger coming to help, their car battery must be fully charged and in good working order. In addition, one of them must carry a set of jumper cables to connect the two batteries together.

If you have ensured the above, put the two cars as close together as possible and turn them off completely. Then, open the hood and use jumper cables to connect the two batteries together.

First, connect one end of the positive cable (red or orange) to the positive terminal of the dead battery, then connect the other end to the positive terminal of the working battery. Next, take the negative cable (black) and connect one end to the negative terminal of the good battery, then connect the other end of the black cable to a connection point on the dead car. This connection point is any metal point on the car that can conduct a continuous current, if you cannot find a connection point to securely latch the negative cable, simply connect the other end of the negative cable to the negative terminal of the dead battery.

After making sure that all four clamps are securely connected, the car owner can start the car with a good battery. We will have to wait about 15 minutes for the car's alternator to fully charge the battery and then try to start the car with a dead battery. If everything is done correctly, the car with a dead battery can be started immediately, but if not, the car owner needs to ask a technical expert to handle this situation to ensure safety.

Note that, to ensure good contact, we should clean and sanitize the battery electrodes before connecting. In addition, we also need to observe for signs of oil or gasoline leakage to avoid electrical short circuit. Make sure the battery is not swollen or leaking when "hooking" the battery.