Is it safe to jump a car's battery?

[Ryan]

My battery is dead, but my parents think they'll mass their cars up by jumping mine. Can it really cause any damage?

 

[menderchuck]

yeah if you do it wrong, but then you have to be pretty stupid.

I say go for it! connect four!

 

[Pacfanweb]

Connect the positive (usually the red) cables first. The negatives (usually black) last. Jump start. Remove negatives first. Positives last. Won't hurt a thing.

Edit:
Technicians at dealerships do it all day long. Wrecker drivers do it all day long. I work at a dealership that makes over 100 service appts. a DAY and I've never seen it hurt anything, unless done wrong.

 

[jonnyGURU]

Make sure you're standing bare foot in a puddle of water. It helps with the current. Also, don't forget to grab onto the coil wire and yank it just as the dead car has it's ignition turned. This will prevent a surge to the starter.
















I'M JOKING!!!!!! Don't do any of that. It's safe to jump a car. All you're doing is "sharing" 12V from the battery. Nothing more. They might be concerned of the additional load on their alternator, but if they don't have the air, lights, etc. on on their car and you let your car sit hooked up to theirs for about 5 minutes before you try to turn it over, there wont be much load on their alternator.

 

[AaronP]

think they'll mass their cars up by jumping mine

I think you're parents need to learn a little bit about cars, their really MASSED up!

 

[Zwingle]

<< Is it safe to jump a car's battery? >>


I would rather jump a girl.....but if you insist, becareful not to burn your balls, or get your weenie caught in the fan.

Seriously....go buy the jumpers that use your lighter outlet, much easier...no mess, no hood to open, no making the wrong contacts. Easier to carry around too. No harm is done to the batteries either way.

 

[Ryan]

Well, I just got a jump and then...........................when I got to a stop light, the car died. I guessing that the alternator is dead....... 🙁

I had to roll it off to the side of the road - and one of my neighboors that was driving by picked me up... 🙁

Man, I hope this doesn't cost a lot to fix 🙁

 

[powerMarkymark]

Of course your alternator is shot, that is why your battery was dead in the first place.

Alternator is not usually the most expensive repair on the car.

 

[Zwingle]

<< Of course your alternator is shot, that is why your battery was dead in the first place. >>


This is not always the case....the battery can be dead for many reasons and usually is not the alternator, keeping a door ajar, headlights left on...even extremely cold temperatures can zap a battery, or a dead cell on the battery itself. Alternator is last resort.
Alternator is not that expensive....but the labor involved in getting to, removing, and replacing will cost you.

 

[bozack]

I dont know about newer cars though, I have heard others say that newer cars electronics systems do not take well to jumping...

Newest car that I have Jump Started was a 90 Mustang LX

 

[Thrillhou]

Don't connect to the negative terminal on the dead car's battery. Instead connect it to the engine block last. That prevents the electrical system from getting screwed up.

And if you are going to jump a car battery just make sure that there is not a cliff on the other side.😉

 

[Zwingle]

The jumpers that I mentioned that plug into your ligher adapter have a built in voltage regulator for sensitive equipment......I have never seen any one blow anything while jumping a car battery....unless the reverse the poles mistakenly.