Should the Engine Be Turned Off When Jump-Starting Another Vehicle?
2 Answers
When jump-starting another vehicle, the engine should be turned off. The jump-starting procedure is as follows: 1. Take out the red positive jumper cable, connect one end to the positive terminal of the dead battery and the other end to the positive terminal of the booster vehicle; 2. The negative cable should be connected in the same manner, ensuring that the metal parts of the cables do not touch any other metal parts of the car body during the process; 3. After connecting the cables, quickly attempt to start the vehicle, as the battery begins charging once connected. Once the two batteries reach equilibrium, charging will no longer be possible. Precautions for jump-starting another vehicle include: 1. The connection must strictly follow the above steps, and the two vehicles must not come into contact with each other; 2. The disconnection sequence is the reverse of the connection sequence: first disconnect the ground cable, then the negative cable, followed by the positive cable of the booster battery, and finally the positive cable of the dead battery.
When I encountered a friend's car that ran out of battery on the road and needed a jump-start, I always remembered that my own car must never be turned off—the engine must keep running. This is because my car's battery needs to charge the other car, and the engine must be on to allow the alternator to generate continuous power. If I turn off my engine, my own battery might quickly drain, leaving both cars without power. In practice, I would first park my car nearby with the engine running, then turn off my friend's car engine, and connect the jumper cables in the correct order (positive to positive, negative to negative). After the connection, start the friend's car and wait for the engine to stabilize before removing the cables. Throughout the process, safety precautions must be taken to avoid short circuits, sparks, or damage to the electrical system. It's advisable to always keep jumper cables and emergency tools in the car for smoother and more reliable handling of such situations.
