We’ve all been there; you hop into your new car, ready to head back to Chicago after a long day at work, you turn the key and… click. Nothing happens. Your battery is dead. Fortunately, you can give it a charge and get back on the road more easily than changing a flat.
Five Easy Steps to Jump Start Your Car
If you find yourself with a dead battery, follow these steps to charge it up enough to get you home — or to your local service center for a battery check or replacement:
- Find a Friend: You’ll need another vehicle to provide you with a charge. Avoid getting a jump from a new electric or alternative-fuel vehicle (also avoid getting a jump if you drive one of these vehicles) as it could lead to a fire or damage to the vehicle’s electrical system.
- Secure Your Vehicle: Engage the parking brake on your vehicle and the donor vehicle and make sure both vehicles are in park and turned off.
- Connect Your Jumper Cables: You or the donor vehicle should have a set of jumper cables for cars. Attach the red “POS” clip to the positive terminal (+) of each battery. Attach one black clip to the negative (-) terminal of the other vehicle’s battery. Attach the remaining black clip to an unpainted metal surface on your car, as far from the battery as you can.
- Start the Donor Vehicle: Allow the donor vehicle to run for a few minutes (five or more if your battery is really dead) to give your vehicle time to build a charge.
- Start Your Vehicle. Try to start your vehicle. If it runs, excellent! Don’t turn it off. Disconnect the jumper cables and let the vehicle run for at least 15 minutes before you shut it off again.
If your vehicle won’t turn over, give it a few more minutes with the donor vehicle running. If it still doesn’t start, or it stalls the next time you try to start the vehicle, your battery may be beyond help — you’ll need a replacement.
Get Help from Our Volkswagen Service Professionals!
If you find yourself in LaGrange with a dead battery that’ll require roadside assistance, or you need guidance on how to best care for your Volkswagen vehicle, speak to a service associate at The Autobarn Volkswagen of Countryside, or schedule a service appointment today and let us take care of the rest. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have, like how to reset the EPC light.
