Tag Archives: jump start a dead car battery

How to Jump Start a Dead Car Battery

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If you have never jump started a dead car battery on your own, it is time that you learn! It is one of the easier automotive troubleshooting repairs a driver can do on their own, without professional assistance or invasive operations. All you need is a set of jumper cables and another working car battery to recharge your car or truck on your own.

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24 Hour Towing and Roadside Assistance 317-247-8484

Why Car Batteries Die

Automotive batteries typically last anywhere from three to five years, depending on make, model, and the condition of the vehicle. It can also depend on the number of miles driven. Car batteries run on battery fluid, which eventually runs out, causing a battery to die. Other reasons why a car battery can die include exposure to extreme temperatures, leaving the lights on for an extended period of time when the car is not in use, not driving a car in a long time, and more. In some cases, a car battery cannot be jump started, and instead, will require a whole new battery.

How to Jump Start a Dead Car Battery:

➀ Position the working vehicle’s engine close to your car engine so the jumper cables can touch both.

➁ Turn both vehicles off and remove keys from ignition.

➂ Locate the car batteries for each vehicle.

➃ Attach the negative and positive jumper cable clamp to the matching negative and positive sides of each battery. Refer to the owner’s manual for help identifying these cells. Be sure the clamps are secured and the cables are not touching the engines.

➄ Return the keys to the operational vehicle’s ignition and turn the engine on.

➅ Allow the operational vehicle to run for 5 or 6 minutes.

➆ With the jumper cables still secured, return the keys to the dead vehicle and turn the engine on. It should start right up!

If the Engine Does Not Turn Over….

⛿ Keep the jumper cables on and allow the battery to charge for an additional 5 minutes.

⛿ Now turn the engine on again. If the engine turns on, still allow the cables to charge the battery a few minutes longer. If the engine does not turn on, you likely need a mechanic.

⛿ Be sure to turn both vehicles off before removing the jumper cables. Then just close the hood and wait for an Indianapolis tow truck to transport your vehicle to your auto shop of choice!

No Jumper Cables? Use Roadside Assistance

Roadside assistance services are a fantastic convenience for all drivers of all ages, but even more so for adolescents just starting out. Roadside assistance offers services for flat tires, dead batteries, overheating engines, fuel assistance, and more. When your car or truck battery runs out of juice while driving, you can simply contact one of these roadside services for a jump start.

Towing and Roadside Assistance for Indiana

Call Zore’s Inc. at 317-247-8484 for friendly 24 hour towing and roadside assistance and advice in Central Indiana. We open a family-owned and operated business for 90 years, so you can trust us for prompt and professional service. We are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year, so our certified tow truck operators can be there for you anytime, any day! Request free estimates, anytime.

Indianapolis Towing & Recovery 317-247-8484

The Do’s and Don’ts to Automotive Battery Maintenance

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By learning the “DO’S ” and “DON’TS ” to automotive battery maintenance, you can achieve better car performance and experience fewer problems. Not only does this save money, it can prevent the frustration and hassle that goes along with battery charging, jumpstarts, and replacements. Continue reading to learn important tips for proper car battery maintenance, and what to do if your car battery unexpectedly fails and leaves you stranded.

Indianapolis Roadside Assistance 317-247-8484

Indianapolis Roadside Assistance 317-247-8484

Car Battery Care

You can easily increase the performance, reliability, and life-span of your car’s battery with some simple routine care. It is important to choose a proper battery for your particular make and model vehicle. A qualified professional, such as a mechanic or an automotive parts sales associate, can help you determine the right car battery for your vehicle. Furthermore, it is important to ensure your battery is being maintained properly. As your vehicle utilizes the battery, the sulfuric acid inside will transfer from the electrolyte solution and absorb into the metal battery plates.

Once you recharge your car battery, the sulfur is transferred back into the electrolyte solution. Often times, mechanics will use an instrument called a hydrometer to measure the amount of sulfuric acid in the electrolyte solution to determine how weak or strong a car battery is at the time of inspection. A low reading indicates that the chemistry that produces electrons inside a battery is lacking.

Here are some important tips for your car’s battery:

DO:

☑ Always Put Safety First!
☑ Research & Understand Proper Battery Care
☑ Choose the Right Battery Match for Your Vehicle
☑ Buy the Highest RC Reserve Capacity or AH Amp Battery for Your Vehicle
☑ Regularly Inspect and Maintenance Your Battery
(Especially during extreme temperature highs and lows)
☑ Immediately Re-Charge a Dead Car Battery

DON’T:

☒ Rush Through the Process!
☒ Forget to Take Precautionary Safety Measures
☒ Add New Electrolyte Acid or Water to Battery Cells
☒ Use Unregulated High-Output Battery Chargers to Charge Batteries
☒ Remove Battery Cables on a Running Vehicle
☒ Postpone Re-Charging Dead Batteries
☒ Allow Battery to Overheat or Boil While Charging

Indianapolis Roadside Assistance Services

Indianapolis Roadside Assistance 317-247-8484

Indianapolis Roadside Assistance 317-247-8484

Call Zore’s Towing at 317-247-8484 if you have a dead car battery and need a jump start or tow in Indianapolis and its surrounding areas. Our tow truck operators are fully certified, trained, and equipped to provide a wide range of affordable towing and roadside assistance services for all make and model vehicles, as well as all other motorized commodities, including motorcycles, boats, tractors, planes, duplexes, semi-trucks, and more. Call us at 317-247-8484 to request a free estimate for dead car battery roadside assistance, anytime. We operate 24 hours a day and 7 days a week!

How to Jump Start Your Car After the Battery Dies

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Emergency Jump Starts 317-247-8484

Emergency Jump Starts 317-247-8484

A dead battery is not the end of the world. A quick jump start is all you need to get back on the road and on with your day. By connecting to another car engine with a set of jumper cables, you can power up your battery long enough to get it home or to a professional shop for replacement. Once you have all the supplies needed, the whole process should only take a few minutes.

Continue reading to learn the simplest way to jump start a car after the battery goes dead.

❶ Check to Make Sure it’s the Battery

⚙ Try to turn on the head lights.

⚙ Check if the lights in the dashboard turn on when the keys are in the ignition.

⚙ Try to start the car:

➛ If it cranks quickly, it’s not the battery.
➛ If it cranks slowly, it’s perhaps the battery.

❷ Locate the Battery

⚙ Most the time it is under the hood, however, it may be in the trunk. If you can’t find it, refer to the owner’s manual.

⚙ Identify the positive and negative terminals:

➛ (+) is usually red
➛ (-) is usually black

❸ Park the Cars Near Each Other So That the Jumper Cables Can Reach Both Batteries

⚙ Make sure the ignitions are off before the next step.

⚙Make sure the cars are not touching each other.

❹ Be Sure Both Cable and Terminals are Clear of Debris and Corrosion

⚙ Remove corrosion scrap with a wire brush.

❺ Connect the Jumper Cables in the Following Order:

⚙ Connect the (+) red clamp to the dead battery;
⚙ Connect the other (+) red clamp to the good battery;
⚙ Connect the (-) black clamp to the good battery;
⚙ Connect the (-) black clamp to metal on the dead car, it could be a bolt.

❻ Make Sure the Cables are Not Tangled in the Car

❼ Start the Helper Car

⚙ Gently apply and release pressure to the gas for at least 30 seconds.

❽ After a Minute, Try to Start the Dead Battery Car

⚙ If the car does not start, check the cable connections and let the cars charge for at least five minutes before trying to start the dead car again.

❾ If the Car Still Does Not Start, You May Need to Get a Tow

❿ If the Car Does Start, Remove the Cables in the Following Order:

⚙ Disconnect the (-) black clamp on the metal on the dead car
⚙ Disconnect the (-) black clamp to the good battery
⚙ Disconnect the other (+) red clamp to the good battery
⚙ Disconnect the (+) red clamp to the dead battery
⚙ Replace rubber battery covers if applicable

⓫ Run the Recently Dead Car for at Least 10 Minutes to Allow the Alternator to Charge the Battery

It is important to have an emergency roadside assistance kit in your vehicle at all times for situations like this. Having essential safety materials and supplies on hand when you are stranded on the side of the road will help you with your car troubles, and more importantly, protect you from harm or danger.

If your vehicle is broken down and requires a tow, be sure to contact an experienced and trusted Indianapolis towing company that provides 24 hour roadside assistance. They may be able to service your car and eliminate the need for a tow. If they cannot solve your car problem, they can tow it to your location of choice.

Emergency Roadside Assistance and Towing

Zore's Towing Indianapolis 317-247-8484

Zore’s Towing Indianapolis 317-247-8484

Call Zore’s Towing at 317-247-8484 anytime to request professional and dependable roadside assistance anywhere in Central Indiana. Our friendly staff is waiting by the phones, ready to help you get back on the road, safe and sound. Request a free estimate, today.