The first frosts quickly reveal a weak spot in the car — the battery. After an overnight stay, the starter turns sluggishly, the electronics behave strangely, and the engine refuses to start. In this situation, "jump-starting" from another car usually helps, but mistakes in this process can easily damage the battery and electronics. Auto mechanic Alexey Stepantsov explained how to safely start the engine and reduce the risk of damage.
He reminded that in autumn and winter, the battery loses charge faster — cold slows down chemical reactions. After a hot summer, the battery often approaches the limit of its resource, even if there were no problems in the summer.
Before connecting the wires, the cars are put on the handbrake and the ignition is turned off.
Drive up so that the length of the wires is enough for a calm connection without tension. The positive terminal is usually marked in red and with a "+" sign, the negative one — in black and with a "-" sign. If access to the battery is inconvenient or difficult to find, special points for connecting wires are often provided under the hood — they are also labeled.
First, the donor works at idle for five minutes so that recharging begins. If the battery is completely discharged, wait about ten minutes, and only then start the engine.
After a successful start, it is important to drive for at least 15 minutes so that the generator restores the charge. If this is not done, the car risks not starting again at the next stop, Stepantsov concluded.