How to Emergency Start a Car?
4 Answers
Emergency vehicle starting methods: 1. Firmly apply the parking brake. 2. Turn off all unnecessary lights and accessories. 3. Set the gear to "P" position. 4. Ensure the power position is in "OFF" mode. 5. Keep the electronic smart key inside the vehicle. 6. Press and hold the start button for more than 15 seconds to start the vehicle. For automatic transmission models, due to the presence of a torque converter, the transmission and engine are not rigidly connected, so the push-start method cannot be used. In this case, only an external power source can be used to start the car. This external power source can be another functional vehicle or an emergency jump starter.
I remember driving for over 30 years and helping many friends jump-start their cars. The main steps are to find another car to provide a jump: first, park both cars on level ground, turn off the engines but keep the keys in the "on" position. Then, use jumper cables—attach the red clamp to the positive terminal of the good car’s battery and the positive terminal of the dead car, and the black clamp to the negative terminal of the good car’s battery and a clean metal part of the dead car’s engine or frame (avoid connecting directly to the negative terminal to prevent sparks). Next, start the good car’s engine and let it run for a few minutes to charge before attempting to start the dead car. Once successfully started, carefully remove the cables: disconnect the black clamp first, then the red one to avoid short circuits. It’s best to drive for at least half an hour to recharge the battery and prevent future issues. Also, check if the battery is old and needs replacement. Safety is the top priority—stay calm and patient throughout the process.
Once my car wouldn't start in winter, and a friend taught me emergency jump-starting—it's quite simple. Just park a working car nearby, turn off the engine, and connect the jumper cables: red clamp to positive (+) on both batteries, black clamp to the good car's negative (-) and a metal part on the dead car's engine (avoid direct connection to negative to prevent sparks). Start the working car, wait a bit, then try starting the dead car. After it starts, remove cables in reverse order (black first, then red) and let the engine run to recharge. To prevent issues, regularly check battery terminals for corrosion, clean them, and keep a jump-start kit handy—it's safe and hassle-free.
Emergency car starting mainly relies on jump-starting. Park a working car nearby without touching. Use jumper cables: connect the red clamp to the positive terminal of both cars, and the black clamp to the good car's negative terminal and a metal part of the dead car. Start the working car's engine and wait a few minutes. Then attempt to start the dead car. After successful starting, remove the clamps in the order of black first, then red. Drive the car for a while to recharge the battery. Ensure safety and avoid doing this in rainy weather. Follow up with regular battery maintenance.
