What happens if you put jumper cables on the wrong side of the battery?

What happens if you put jumper cables on the wrong side of the battery?

Hooking the jumper cables up backwards can create disastrous results⁠. Possible outcomes include irreparable damage to the battery, fried electronics, and even serious personal injury. You might cause personal injury and/or damage to your car if you accidentally hook your jumper cables up wrong.

What happens if you jump a battery wrong?

When the jumper cables are incorrectly connected, the polarity of the electrical system on the vehicle with the dead battery will be reversed for a few seconds. This can irreparably damage many of the sensitive electronic components that are common on today’s vehicles, such as on-board computers and electronic sensors.

What do you do if your jump-start doesn’t work?

If the engine still won’t start, allow the good car to run for 5-10 minutes while hooked up to the dead car. Rev the engine slightly. This may build a charge in the dead battery and allow you to restart. If these steps do not work after three or four more tries, stop trying to jump-start.

Why does a car battery not start after jumping?

Inexpensive jumper cables that are not thick enough to carry sufficient current won’t perform to the level you expect, and your car won’t start after a jump. Cables that are too long have more internal resistance, and they may not transfer enough of the donor battery’s power to your car.

Can a bad jumper cable cause a car to not start?

If this switch is bad or gets damaged, this information cannot be sent to the engine computer, and your car won’t start after a jumpstart. Your jumper cables are bad: All jumper cables are not created equal.

What to do if your car battery won’t start?

If the replaced battery car won’t start, the first thing to check is whether you replaced the battery correctly. Are the cable clamps tight? Are the cables themselves in good shape?

What should I do if my jump starter is not charging?

Heat builds up in the battery unit when it is trying to turn an engine over, this is also called cranking. Clore automotive recommends only six seconds of ‘cranking’ and then three minutes of rest. This will prevent heat from buiding up in the unit and reduce wear on the battery.