Your Questions About Jump Start A Car

Posted by: Our pick of the on September 13, 2012 Under: Q and A |

Daniel Your Questions About Jump Start A Car

Daniel asks…

How to jump start my car when the terminals are covered?

I am trying to jump start my car, however the terminals on the battery are covered by a volt gauge and I don’t want to take the battery out or take it to a shop to have it done? I see on the side what looks to be side “terminals” per say but i don’t know what i need to try it through the side.

Also i know I can jump my car through the cigarette lighter but i tried it three times as instructed nothing happened. Also I know the battery is still good.

admin Your Questions About Jump Start A Car

Our pick of the answers:

If a battery has side posts ONLY, theres usually a post for the negative to be attached else where. Positive goes on the battery.

If it has top and side terminals, the top ons are for jumping, side is for electrical connections to power/ground things in the car. If theres rubber or plastic covers, just pop them off an jump it. You can keep them off, the cover(s) are for preventing anyone from crossing terminals and getting a spark shower. Maybe 50% of cars have a cover or two. Its not a big deal.

Mary Your Questions About Jump Start A Car

Mary asks…

Car Battery Problems: My car battery is dead. If I get a jump start, I can start the car and have no problem?

If I turn off the engine, the battery dies within 30 minutes. With another jump start, the car starts again.
The battery is 3 years old; I’m the original owner and the ALTERNATOR has never been replaced.
What seems to be the problem?

admin Your Questions About Jump Start A Car

Our pick of the answers:

If it runs after a jump start, the alternator is working. Take the battery to your local auto parts store and they will load check it for free. They’ll let you know if the battery is good or not. With the car running, check across the battery terminals with a volt meter. If it reads between 13.5 volts and 14.5 volts, the alternator is OK. Any reading below 13.5 volts indicates a bad alternator.

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