How to Deal With a Flat Battery
Flat battery is really an annoying problem that can happen unannounced usually around an inappropriate location where it is hard to find assistance. The sound of a dying battery or lack of sound as your vehicle engine fails to wake up is not a good sign especially when you are going to do something really important. This is the point where you need to jump start your vehicle. Leaving the headlights on for an extended time could be the reason why your battery has run out of power. We all make these kinds of mistakes, but don’t panic! You can either reach a road assistance service for a quick fix or look into the problem yourself.
First of all, you need a set of jumper cables. Some people get their own cables and keep them in their vehicles. It may be embarrassing for you to stop a stranger and ask him to provide cables and jump your vehicle. It is recommended to have basic tools with you especially when you drive a vehicle with passengers who count on you to get them to their destination.
Jumper cables are the only tool you need to get it done. Make sure you have them in your emergency kit so that the problem can be fixed quickly and with ease. It is recommended to have 20-foot long jumper cable because sometimes it can become difficult to get the two vehicles close enough to one another.
Once both vehicles are parked, open the trunk and find the battery. You need to identify the negative and positive terminals. Now, attach the red lead to the positive terminal in the car with healthy battery and then attach the other red clamp with the positive terminal on the flat battery. The next step is slightly technical. Attach the black cable to the negative terminal on the healthy battery and the other black clamp to a metal part such as a nut in the engine. It is time to turn on the vehicle with the good battery for few minutes. Now start the vehicle with the flat battery and, after removing cables in a reversing order, do not turn of the engine for at least 15 minutes.
Jump-start will not fully recharge the battery, but it will get you to a workshop where you can have the battery recharged or replaced. It is not advisable to jumpstart a battery which shows cracks or leaking battery acid. You should also know whether or not it is appropriate to jump-start your brand new car as it can cause additional problems.
If you are unable to find cables or not sure how to perform this procedure, call an emergency road assistance service. You are lucky if you are in Edmonton because this is where we, Action Towing, provide jumpstart and other roadside services. We provide a comprehensive range of towing and recovery services including flat tire and boosting in Edmonton. Give us a quick call to get immediate assistance.
