Lockdown Car Care: Jump Start And Battery Fix

Here are a few things you need to keep in mind if you don't want to have a dead car battery after the lockdown ends.

New Delhi: During the lockdown your car has been lying idle all this time and not having driven it for a month will mean your car battery will deplete and when you eventually start it post lockdown you will be faced with a dead battery most likely.

There are a few simple ways to prevent this and starting your car for 5 minutes every week is not the answer. Instead every few days a short journey or starting the car for 15 minutes minimum is required. It is best that for essential journeys nearby you should use your car but we are not recommending taking your car for a long drive and breaking the lockdown rules; instead for buying essential items using your car will atleast give your car a much needed exercise.

But let us deal with the situation when you are faced with a flat battery- what should you do? There are a few simple tricks but it depends how you much your battery has drained.

1. First of all do not try to constantly start your car of it does not start on the first or on the second attempt. If you continue to try to start the car, the battery will completely drain out instead.

2. Before doing it check that your car is fit to be jump started by checking out the manual for any specific instructions. Also if the battery is corroded or leaking, avoid jump starting and get a replacement battery later.

3. To jump start a car you need jumper cables and of course another car with a working battery. Both cars should be in neutral or 'P' mode while you need to connect the red clip to the positive terminal of both cars while the black clip to the negative terminal of the donor car plus connect the other black clip to an unpainted metal surface (not next to the battery).

4. With this done, we need to start the donor car and let it run for a few minutes. Then check and see if the interior lights are on- if they are on, try and start the dead car.

5. Remove the clips and keep the car started for some time. If it still does not start then your battery is dead and you need a new one.

What to do when you do not have a donor car?

Pushing your car to get it started is the best way and for that you need to keep the ignition in position while keep it in second gear. Now when pushed (you need to get someone else to push your car) and building momentum plus release the clutch which will get the engine to start.

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