If you have a dead car battery, you might wonder how to jump a car without jumper cables. There are several tips that will help you discover how to fix a dead car battery without jumper cables. In this guide, we cover the top options and get you back on the road.
What You’ll Need - Tool, Supplies & Safety Gear
Sadly, you won’t be able to figure out how to jump a car without jump cables with every vehicle type. To learn how to jump a manual car without cables, you only need a hill or steep incline nearby. It’s also helpful to have a friend that can help you.
On the other hand, learning how to jump start an automatic car without cables requires the use of a portable jump start box. If you don’t have one, there’s no way to get the car started again, so you will need to find help from someone nearby that has one of these boxes. Otherwise, the only other way to get going is to get a new battery.
However you choose to work on your car battery, it’s important to take necessary safety precautions. Car battery safety starts with having goggles for eye protection and gloves to protect your skin. If you aren’t sure what you are doing, you shouldn’t mess with the car battery at all.
How To Jump A Manual Car Without Jumper Cables?
With a manual transmission, it’s easy to learn how to jump start a car without jumper cables. All you need is a hill or incline nearby. Ideally, you will have a friend that can help you push the car, but it can be done alone. Here are the steps to follow:
- 1Open the driver’s door and put the car in Neutral.
- 2Hold on to the steering wheel and push the car with the help of your shoulder.
- 3If someone is with you, sit in the driver’s seat while someone else pushes.
- 4Once the vehicle starts moving freely, press the clutch in and put the car into second gear.
- 5With the key in the ignition in the ON position, release the clutch quickly. The engine should start.
- 6If it doesn’t, try again.
If there aren’t any inclines around, you can still figure out how to start a car without jumper cables. You will require a few more hands that can push the car as fast as possible. Ideally, you will get the car above five mph to jump start it this way.
Make sure you keep the car running once it starts. By driving for at least thirty minutes afterward, you let the alternator do its job so it can recharge the battery. If you shut the engine off right away, the battery will still be dead, and you will be in the same boat.
How To Jump An Automatic Car Without Jumper Cables?
Sadly, figuring out how to jump a car without cables is much more difficult if it has an automatic transmission. Your only option is to use a jumper box. If you don’t have a jumper box, you can ask around where you are to see if there’s someone that can help.
If you do have a jumper box, the solution to figuring out how to jump a car battery without cables is simple. Plug in the jumper box just as you would when you are jumping it with cables. You will turn the box on after it is connected and wait for the battery to charge up before trying to start it again.
As with the manual transmission, make sure you keep the car running once it starts. You want to drive thirty minutes afterward, so the alternator does its job and recharges the battery. Don't shut off the engine right away, or the battery will still be dead and you will need to start over.
Frequently Asked Jump Starting A Car Without Jumper Cable Questions
How do you jumpstart a car without another car?
You can learn how to get a car started without jumper cables if it has a manual transmission. Just push the car until it reaches at least five mph and pop the clutch to get the engine going. With an automatic transmission, you can only use a jump starter box or portable charger to get going again.
Can you jumpstart a car without a battery?
Learning how to charge a car battery without jumper cables only works if there’s actually a car battery. Without the car battery, trying to start your car will only damage the vehicle’s electronics, so it shouldn’t be done.
How do you jumpstart a car with a screwdriver?
If the starter has failed, it’s possible to use a screwdriver to jump the starter. If you aren’t familiar with how this is done, it’s best to get help from a professional.
Can you jumpstart a car through the cigarette lighter?
If you have a portable charger, you can plug it into the cigarette lighter. Then, you connect it to your car battery and turn it on to get more juice to your vehicle. Once it's ready, you can try starting the engine again.
How long do you need to drive a car to recharge a dead battery?
After the car has been started, you don't want to turn it off. Instead, drive for thirty minutes to ensure that the car battery gets recharged from the alternator. Otherwise, you might end up with a dead battery once again.
Conclusion
With these steps showing you how to charge a dead car battery without jumper cables, you are ready to take the road by storm. There’s no reason to let a dead car battery hold you back any further. Just make sure you have the gear you need to get back on your journey.