You found that you were running late for work when you opened your eyes. You quickly got ready, jumped on the car seat and turned on the ignition key. While kick-starting the engine, you heard the clicking and cranking noises, but the car didn’t start. You tried it a few times, but nothing worked out. Here you need to know that your battery has gone dead. It always happens at the most inconvenient times. Therefore, you need to understand the reasons that lead to dead battery, signs to know it, how to jump start a car and how a jumpstart service works? Read on to find out!
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The battery is one of the most important, yet durable parts of your car that usually lasts for years. However, there are times when your car battery keeps on dying, and until you notice it, it stops working. Multiple reasons cause a car battery to die: corrosion, charging system failure, parasitic drain, and leaving the car lights on are the prominent ones. Most often, it happens with used cars.
Therefore, one must know what to do when a car battery dies unexpectedly. You can take different measures to get it started, but the viable option is to call jumpstart services to get back on the wheels. As a car owner, you must know the measures to take when your battery dies. Let’s start with the reasons for the dead battery.
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Reasons That Lead to Dead Battery
Here are some common reasons that can lead your car battery to die:
- Failure of the charging system
- You left your headlights or interior light left on
- There is a parasitic drain that causes electricity to drain even when your vehicle is turned off
- Old or in poor battery
- When the temperature is extreme
- Your battery connections are loose or corroded
- You have taken too many short drives
- You have not used your car for a long time
Sings That Show Weak or Dead Car Battery
You can find out whether your battery is working or not just by using windshield wipers. If they are moving slower than usual, your battery is about to die or has gone dead. You can also turn on your bumper or exterior lights to check whether your battery is weak or dead. In addition to these, many other signs show a dead battery. These include:
- No response at ignition
- The starter motor cranks slowly, or it doesn’t start
- The engine starts but dies right away
- Radio or lights don’t work
- The check engine lights turned on
- The odd smell from a battery
- Misshapen battery
- Loosed or corroded battery terminals
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Dead Battery? Don’t Panic: Get a Jumpstart Service
When you finally realize that your battery is no longer in working condition, you must take some initial steps to jumpstart a battery. It is recommended to call a jumpstart service professional to get out of the trouble as quickly as possible. In most cases, jumpstarting would help you get back on the roads, but if the battery frequently dies, you need to go for its replacement.
To be safe, we recommend you have required equipment and the number of a jumpstart service provider (like Tow Service USA) on your phone for emergencies. When you encounter such a situation, you first need to get help from the cars passing by the road. If you are alone, you may call a relative or friend to bring the vehicle. Still, If you cannot get help, you should immediately contact Tow Service USA.
Steps to Follow for Jump Starting a Car
Before you jumpstart a vehicle, make sure that you have all the necessary tools right with you. These include:
- Jumper Cables: If they are long, it would be better.
- Mechanic Gloves: You at least need disposable gloves, but if you are dealing with heavy-duty, you need to take further protective measures.
- A Flashlight: You can keep it anywhere in the car.
- Paper Coveralls: It is better to keep these to protect your hands and clothes
- Owner’s Manual: It will guide you throughout the process and can be found in your car’s glove box.
Learn: When do you need a tow company?
Here’re some of the steps to take to jumpstart your car.
Put Both the Cars on Neutral Mode
Before attaching the jumper cables, make sure that both the cars are powered off. Park these cars close to one another so your jumper cables can reach the donor’s car.
Protect your Clothes and Hands
You can start the process by protecting your clothes and hands using gloves and paper coveralls.
Open the Hood
Once you pop open your car’s hood, you may need to release the latch. You can get it by using your fingers under the slightly open area of the hood. When you find the liver, slide it and use it to prop the hood up during the work.
Attach the Jumper Cables
Once you locate the battery after opening the hood, you will find two terminals on the battery: one positive (+) and the other negative (-). The positive terminal (+ or red) would be covered with plastic with metal beneath. Keep the jumper cables attached firmly to the terminal for a safe and smooth connection.
Don’t forget to turn off the car. First, connect the positive (red) clamp to the dead car’s positive terminal. Then attach the negative (black) clamp to the donor car’s battery. Then attach the final negative clamp on any metal surface (non-painted) anywhere near the engine of the car that is going to be jumpstarted (the dead car).
Start the Donor’s Car
After attaching the cables properly, it’s time to start the donor car for 2-3 minutes to charge the dead battery. Wait for a few minutes and start the dead car. Still, if your car is not starting, wait for a few more minutes and try again. When the dead car finally starts working, keep it at the start mode for some time, while carefully removing the jumper cables from its battery.
Take Your Car for a Short Drive
When your car starts working, drive it for a short distance, around 30 minutes, to charge the battery sufficiently so that your car will run smoothly.
Still, Not Starting? Get a Jumpstart Service!
If you have tried multiple times but cannot start your car. Don’t keep on trying, wasting your time. Just call our professionals at Tow Service USA to resolve your issue.
Summing Up
So after giving this blog a read, you have got to know the reasons that lead to a dead battery. We’ve discussed the signs that will show you that your battery is dead or weak. And at last, we’ve unwrapped the steps to follow for jumpstarting a car.
Car troubles are often unexpected and can happen anytime and anywhere. Therefore, you need to equip yourself with the right tools and resources to be on the safe side. Tow Service America is a network of flatbed tow trucks and wreckers to assist motorists during the need, whether it be jumpstart service or flat tire change, we offer all types of roadside assistance services at a reasonable rate.
Call us right away!