Jump-starting is a common way to revive a dead car battery. In order to boost the unresponsive battery, you connect the battery of another car to your car. It’s a quick and easy fix, but could this damage the battery?
If you try to jumpstart your car yourself, a wrong move can damage its electronics or battery. Therefore, you should be extra careful when jump-starting a modern car. But the best and safest option is to call a tow company to tow your car to the nearest mechanic. Let’s discuss the possible risks.
The Risks of Jump-starting a Car Battery
Jumpstarting your car yourself is a common practice everywhere. But without the right tools, you could injure yourself and your car. Do you want to know what risks are involved? Take a look.
Destroyed ECUs
Modern cars depend on engine control units (ECUs) to monitor the engine and other components. Not just one ECU is needed, multiple ECUs could be in a car, which makes it complicated.
These control units are so complex that it’s sometimes cheaper to dump the car instead of repairing it. Incorrect jump-starting can damage these electrical systems beyond repair.
Battery Damage
One of the most common risks of jump-starting a car by yourself is damaging the battery. This happens because of incorrect jumper cable connections. One cable end should go to the dead vehicle, and the other end should go to the car that provides the power boost. If one cable end touches something else, the car’s components will be damaged electrically.
Battery Explosions
Connect the jumper leads in the proper sequence. Otherwise, there is a possibility of sparkling in the jumper cables. Any sparkle may lead to something bad, such as the explosion of the battery, which could be highly dangerous.
Electrical Problems
After passing some juice to the dead battery, you should disconnect the wiring before cranking the car. Starting it will create a heavy load on the good battery when the vehicles are wired to each other. As a result, there could be some electrical issues.
Injury To Skin And Eyes
The sulfuric acid found inside a car battery is extremely corrosive. Contact with battery acid can result in severe and painful burns. Extreme caution should be used when working on or around the car battery, and proper eye and hand protection should be worn.
In addition to harmful battery acid, sparks and shocks can injure the eyes and skin if they aren’t properly protected. To avoid serious burns and blindness, always wear protective gloves and eyewear if attempting to jump your car.
Avoid These Common Pitfalls
If the traditional jump-starting option does not work, you should call for help. This is because it’s your only option to ensure your safety. You should call a professional to help you tow your car to safety.
Avoid Battery Damage – Call Bumblebee Towing For Expert Help
You should know that jumpstarting your car all by yourself is risky. If you want to avoid the risks, you should call Bumblebee Towing to handle all your towing needs. With years of experience, our technicians will safely tow your car to a nearby repair shop. Call us straightaway at (832) 699-8592 for a quick and problem-free solution.