How to Jumpstart a Car in Pakistan: Step-by-Step Guide

What You Need

• Jumper cables: At least 4 metres long, 6mm squared gauge wire minimum. Rs 800–2,500. Keep in your car boot permanently.
• A working vehicle with a healthy battery, OR a portable jump starter (Rs 8,000–20,000)

The Correct Connection Sequence — Critical for Safety

Connecting:

1. Red clamp to Dead battery POSITIVE (+) terminal
2. Red clamp (other end) to Good battery POSITIVE (+) terminal
3. Black clamp to Good battery NEGATIVE (-) terminal
4. Black clamp (other end) to Unpainted metal on dead car's ENGINE BLOCK — NOT the dead battery negative (prevents sparks near battery hydrogen gas)

Starting:

1. Start working vehicle and let run 3–5 minutes
2. Attempt to start dead vehicle
3. If no start after 5–6 attempts, wait 5 more minutes

Disconnecting (reverse order):

1. Black clamp from engine block
2. Black clamp from good battery negative
3. Red clamp from good battery positive
4. Red clamp from jumped car's battery positive

After Jumpstarting

Drive for at least 20–30 minutes at moderate speeds to allow alternator to recharge battery. If battery dies again within days, it needs replacement or the alternator isn't charging properly.

Common Mistakes in Pakistan

• Wrong connection order — can cause sparks near battery
• Using cheap thin cables — they overheat and can melt
• Attempting to jumpstart a cracked or leaking battery — replace it instead