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237
Roadside Emergencies
Jump-Starting Your Vehicle
Your vehicle’s battery may die if you leave the
lights on or any electrical equipment on after
you turn the engine off. If this happens, you
may be able to jump-start from a booster battery
to start your vehicle.
R
WARNING
The gases around the battery can explode
if exposed to flames, sparks, or lit
cigarettes. An explosion could result in
injury or vehicle damage.
R
WARNING
To protect yourself when charging a
battery, always shield your face and eyes.
Make sure that you can breathe fresh air.
R
WARNING
Applying too much pressure on the ends
when lifting a battery could cause acid to
spill. Lift the battery with a carrier or
with your hands on the opposite corners.
R
WARNING
Batteries contain sulfuric acid which burns
skin, eyes, and clothing.
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If the acid touches someone’s skin, eyes, or
clothing, immediately flush the area with water
for at least 15 minutes. If someone swallows the
acid, have him or her drink lots of milk or water
first, then Milk of Magnesia, a beaten egg, or
vegetable oil. Call a doctor immediately.
R
WARNING
Do not push-start your vehicle. You could
damage the catalytic converter. For further
information, see
Jumper Cables
in the
Index.
To avoid damaging your vehicle or your battery,
and to avoid injury to yourself, follow these
directions for preparing your vehicle to
jump-start and connecting the jumper cables in
the order they are given. If in doubt, call for
road service.
Preparing Your Vehicle
1.
Your vehicle has a 12-volt starting system, so
you need to use a 12-volt jumper system.
You will damage your starting motor,
ignition system, and other electrical parts if
you connect them to a 24-volt power supply
(either two 12-volt batteries in series or a
24-volt generator set).
2.
Do not disconnect the battery of the disabled
vehicle. You could damage the vehicle’s
electrical system.
3.
Park the booster vehicle close to the hood of
the disabled vehicle.
Make sure the vehicles
do not touch each other.
Set the parking
brake on both vehicles and stay clear of the
engine cooling fan and other moving parts.
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4.
Check all battery terminals and remove any
excessive corrosion before you attach the
jumper cables.
5.
Turn on the heater fan in both vehicles.
Turning on the fan helps protect the
electrical system from voltage surges. Turn
off all other switches and lights in both
vehicles to prevent possible damage to either
vehicle’s electrical systems.
Connecting the jumper cables
1.
Connect one end of the first jumper cable to
the positive (+) terminal of the discharged
battery. (You can connect either jumper cable
to the positive (+) terminal, as long as you
use the same cable for both positive
terminals.) Most jumper cables have a red
cable and a black cable. The red cable is
generally used for the positive terminals and
the black for the negative ones.
2.
Connect the other end of the first cable to
the positive (+) terminal of the booster
battery.
3.
Connect one end of the second cable to the
negative (-) terminal of the booster battery
— NOT to the discharged battery.
4.
Connect the other end of the second cable to
a good metallic surface on the engine or
frame of the disabled vehicle.
R
WARNING
Do not connect the end of the second
cable to the negative (-) terminal of the
battery to be jumped. A spark may cause
an explosion of the gases that surround
the battery.
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Attaching jumper cables
Jump-Starting
1.
Make sure that the jumper cables are not in
the way of moving engine parts, then start
the booster vehicle. Run the engine at a
moderate speed.
2.
Let the discharged battery charge for a few
minutes and then start the disabled vehicle.
It may take a couple of tries before the
vehicle starts. If the vehicle does not start
after several attempts, there may be a
different problem.
3.
When both vehicles are running, let them
idle for a few minutes to charge the
discharged battery.
Removing jumper cables
1.
Always remove the jumper cables in the
reverse order.
Remove the negative (
s
) end
of the jumper cable from the metallic surface
on the engine or frame of the disabled
vehicle.
2.
Remove the negative (
s
) cable from the
booster battery.
3.
Remove the positive (+) cable from the
booster battery.
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