How to Start an Automatic Car with a Dead Battery?

[Elliott]

Here are the methods to start an automatic car with a dead battery: 1. On highways or when no help or tools are available nearby, you can only seek assistance from an emergency rescue center to dispatch an emergency charging vehicle for temporary charging or arrange a tow truck to pull the car to a nearby repair shop for charging. 2. If you can find a fully charged battery with the same voltage as the car's battery, you can use an external battery to start the car. Connect the positive terminal of the car's battery to the positive terminal of the fully charged battery, then connect the negative terminals. After starting the car, disconnect the negative cable first, followed by the positive cable. 3. If the car's battery dies in a populated area, you can directly find a charger to recharge the battery. Alternatively, you can remove the car's battery and take it home for a quick charge. Generally, using the fast-charge setting for about ten minutes should provide enough power to start the car. However, be careful not to damage any wiring terminals when removing the battery. 4. If the car is equipped with jumper cables, you can ask for help from a passing vehicle. Connect the positive terminal of the assisting car's battery to the positive terminal of the dead battery, then connect the negative terminals. Start the assisted car, and after it starts, disconnect the negative cable first, followed by the positive cable.

[DiRachel]

Last time my old Accord did the same thing, suddenly ran out of battery while driving to the countryside—so frustrating! Quickly called a buddy to come over for a jump start with jumper cables: took out the red and black charging cables, put on gloves to prevent electric shock. First, clamp the red clip onto the positive terminal of the rescue car’s battery, then firmly attach it to the positive terminal of my old car. After connecting the black clip to the negative terminal of the rescue car, make sure not to touch the negative terminal of my car’s battery—instead, clamp it onto a metal part of the engine block for safety. Have the rescue car idle for a few minutes to let the current flow. Then start my car, and it’ll roar back to life! Don’t forget to let it idle for another ten minutes to charge before disconnecting the cables. As a regular reminder, check your battery’s health every six months to ensure the terminals aren’t corroded—saves money and hassle. Keep a portable jump starter in your car for peace of mind. Pushing an automatic transmission car is pointless and risks damaging the transmission—not worth it!

[VanEmersyn]

Oh my, last time in the mall underground parking lot, my car just wouldn't start—I was so nervous my palms were sweating. Luckily, a security guard showed me what to do, and it's actually super simple: just pull a friend's car close and connect the jumper cables. Clip the red ends to the positive terminals on both batteries, then attach the black clip first to the negative terminal of the rescue car and then to a metal part of my car's engine for safety. Start the rescue car and wait about half a minute to a minute before trying to start mine. If it doesn't work, try a few more times or call a mechanic—don't push it. Afterward, I went to the dealership to check my battery's health—no point waiting until it's dead. It's smart to keep a set of jumper cables in your car; they're cheap and give peace of mind. And remember, push-starting doesn't work for automatics—it's just wasted effort and might even lock the wheels.

[Curtis]

For over two decades of long-distance driving, when an automatic transmission car runs out of battery, we simply use jumper cables to fix it. Find a helper car and connect the cables: attach the red clamp to both positive terminals, and connect the black clamp from the helper car's negative terminal to the steel frame of the stalled car's engine—avoid connecting directly to the negative terminal to prevent sparks. Start the helper car and let it run for a couple of minutes to revive the stalled car, then you're good to go. Don't bother trying to push-start it—that's a manual transmission trick and won't work here. Keep a durable set of jumper cables in your toolbox for quick and hassle-free fixes.

[DiJocelyn]

I remember that winter when I accompanied my wife back to her hometown, the car stalled and we were shivering from the cold. A kind-hearted mechanic passing by offered help: he took out jumper cables and connected the two cars. The red clips were tightly clamped onto the positive terminals of both batteries, while the black clip was connected from the negative terminal of the good car to the engine block of my car. After starting the good car and quietly waiting for the current to flow, the engine roared to life when I turned the ignition. This experience taught me to regularly check the battery voltage to prevent it from failing in the cold winter—better safe than sorry. Keeping a portable emergency starter in the car is lightweight and reliable. Push-starting an automatic transmission? It only increases the risk—don’t take the chance!