Whether you are a new driver or a seasoned veteran, there is nothing more frustrating than dealing with a car that won’t turn on because of a dead battery.
When you find that your car’s battery has died, the unpleasant realization is usually followed by a phone call or a hunt in the parking lot for someone who can help you jump start your car.
But what do you do when you can’t find someone to help give you a jump?
Could you figure out how to jump start a car without another car or even how to go about jumping a car battery without another car?
Luckily, it is still possible to get your vehicle running again, so let’s look at how to jump start a car without another car.
How Does a Jump Start Work?
Before we look at ways to jump start a car, let’s go over how it’s usually done. With a traditional jump start, you will need jumper cables to connect another vehicle’s running battery to your own car’s battery.
The car giving you a jump will essentially connect its car’s battery to your dead car’s battery with jumper cables to give it a boost. This boost will (hopefully) allow you to turn your car on.
While most cars will be jumped this way, be sure to read your owner’s manual for specific safety instructions as they relate to your vehicle when being jumped with jumper cables.
Learning the details of how to jump start your car this way is an essential life skill, so it’s always a good idea to know how to do it.
How to Jump Start Your Car Without Another Car
Now, what do you do when you find yourself with jumper cables, but without another car to give you a jump?
Luckily, it is still possible to get your car running again. Let’s look at how to jump start an automatic car without another car.
Invest in a Jumpbox
Alongside your jumper cables and first aid kit, a jump box is one of the best things to keep in your car for emergencies. If you’re stranded in a secluded area, a jump box is a true lifesaver.
A jump box is essentially a battery pack that can charge your car battery.
The core of a jump box will either be a lead-acid or gel-pack battery that is sealed, keeping it safe from any leaking.
The battery will typically also be covered in plastic housing, making it ideal for storing in the trunk of your car.
A jump box also features jumper cables that will attach to your car’s battery. In this way, instead of pulling power from another vehicle’s car battery, your dead car battery will draw power from the jump box.
Jump boxes come in all different cranking amperage and reserve capacities, so it’s essential to know which jump box to use for your vehicle.
Some jump boxes will have enough juice to only power up a golf cart, while others can boost up bigger engines.
Along with being able to power up your car, jump boxes are great because they offer other benefits.
Depending on the jumper box you purchase, you may have additional features including the following:
- Built-in radio
- Air compressors for inflating leaking tires
- Emergency lighting
- 12-volt receptacles for charging phones, GPS systems, or other electronic devices while you are on the road.
The neat thing about having a jump box is once you use it, you can always recharge it so that it
is at full power again.
How Do You Use a Jump Box?
When you use a jump box, the basic method of connecting to the dead battery is the same as
when you use jumper cables that connect to a running car.
The basics of using a jump box are as follows:
- Your jump box will have both positive and negative jumper cables. You will start by connecting your positive cable to the positive terminal of your battery. You will then connect your negative jump box cable to the engine block or another ground location.
- Once your cables are connected, set your jump box on a level surface like the engine compartment. You want to be sure that your jump box will stay put once you turn on your car. The last thing you want is for your connected jump box to get loose and fall off.
- Next, get in your vehicle and try turning on the ignition. Your ignition should turn over.
- Once your vehicle is running, unclip the negative cable and attach it back onto your jump box. You will do the same for your positive cable.
Jump Start Your Car with the “Push Start” Method
Another method you can use is to push starting your car to get it going.
Push starting a car works best for vehicles with a manual transmission, and you will need to have a couple of people to help you push as well.
Because you will need your car to be moving in order to get it to turn on again, this method works best when you are down an incline or going down a hill.
- Start by putting the key in the ignition and setting it to the “on” position.
- Press on the clutch and put your vehicle in first or second gear.
- This is when you want your “pushers” to start pushing. As they push and your car gains momentum, you’ll want to give your car some gas gently. When the car is moving about as fast as your pusher can run, your engine should start up.
Can you Push Start an Automatic Vehicle?
Automatic vehicles are different from manual vehicles because the gears on an automatic can’t manually be controlled. Because of this, it’s a lot trickier to get your automatic car to start via push start.
FAQs
Even if you understand how to go about it now, that doesn’t mean you don’t still have questions about jumping your car. Here’s what you should know:
Does a jump box work for any type of vehicle?
How do you start an automatic car with a dead battery without another
car?
Does a car have to be running to jump start another car?
However, when you are first connecting your jumper cables, you want to make sure that both vehicles are off. Once the cables are connected, then you can turn on the vehicle giving you the jump followed by the vehicle that needs the jump.
Final thoughts
The best way to deal with jump starting a car is by preventing a dead battery in the first place.
The best way to do this is by keeping up with your car’s maintenance with regular inspections of your car’s battery’s health.
However, there may be times when it’s impossible to prevent it, so make sure you follow the steps above if you ever need to jump start your car without another car.
Sources:
- How to jump start your car – www.dummies.com
- Things to keep in your car – www.nsc.org
