Give jump start - this is how you bridge your car battery

If the car battery fails when starting, you must bridge the vehicle. This practical tip shows you how to get started properly.

Car battery jump starter - how to bridge it properly

If you forget to switch off the radio, the car battery can be discharged. Even low temperatures can bring older batteries to their knees. In this case, you can easily bridge the vehicle. All you need is a jumper cable or jump starter cable and a suitable "donor car" with which you can start your car.

1. Before getting started by another car, check the voltage of the batteries. Both cars should have the same voltage, either both 12V or 24V.
2. Switch off all power consumers such as lights, radio or air conditioning in both vehicles.
3. The engine of the donor car should be switched off. Now connect one end of the red cable to the positive pole of the empty battery and the other end to the positive pole of the full battery (donor car). You can recognize this by the + sign next to the pole and the red cover. In many new cars, the battery is no longer directly under the hood. In this case, use the positive pole connection in the engine compartment.
4. Now you can connect one end of the black jump lead to the negative pole of the functioning car, then the other end to the negative pole of the empty battery. For vehicles without a battery in the engine compartment, use an unpainted metal part in the negative pole.
5. Check the firm contact of the cables at the poles again and make sure that the cables do not come to the fan or the V-belt or toothed belt. These parts could otherwise be damaged when starting.
6. Now start the car with the full battery first. Then start the car with the empty battery. If it doesn't work right away, try again after a short break.
7. If it worked, let the car run. Now switch on a large consumer such as the light to prevent damage to the on-board electronics from voltage spikes.
8. Now you can remove the jump leads. First take the black cable from both cars, then the red one.
9. Now you should drive a few kilometers to recharge the battery.

Bridge the battery for jump start without a "donor car" - how it works

It is not always easy to find a helpful driver who can help you get started. If you no longer trust your battery properly, there are alternatives.

• If you have problems with your battery more often, but don't want to replace it yet, put a spare battery in the trunk. So you can bridge yourself in an emergency. To do this, the replacement battery must be charged.
• A more elegant variant is the power bank for the car. Small, handy and quick to charge yourself, you no longer have to be afraid that your car won't start.