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Jump starting
Introduction
In this section you’ll find information about:
Positive and negative jump-starting terminals
Using jumper cables
If your engi ne does not start because the vehicle battery is dead, your vehicle's battery can be
connected to the battery of another vehicle to start your engine (jump starting).
You must use jumper cables that meet recogni zed indus trial standa rds (che ck information
provided by the jumper cable manufacturer). For vehicles with gasoline engines, the cross-section of
the jumper cable wire must be at least 0.038 in
diesel engines, the cross-section m ust be at least 0.054 in
On vehicles that do not have a battery in the engine compartment, connect the jumper cables only to
the jump-start terminals in the engine compartment.
There is an opening for jump starting located on the engine compartment cover
More information:
Hybrid drive
Selective catalytic reduction (AdBlue®)
Working in the engine compartment
Vehicle battery
2
(25 mm2), or about 3 ga. (AWG). For vehicles with
2
(35 mm2), or about 2 ga. (AWG).
WARNING
.
Working on the batteries or the electrical system in your vehicle can cause serious acid
burns, fires, or electrical shock.
Always keep children away from battery acid and vehicle batteries in general.
Sulfuric battery acid is very corrosi ve and c an cau se bli nd ne ss a nd dama ge to
unprotected skin. Never let battery acid or lead particles contact your eyes, skin, and
clothing.
Never lean over a vehicle battery. Always wear protective gloves and eye protection. To
reduce your risk of injury, never tilt the batteries; acid could spill out through the vents and
burn you.
A highly explosive mixture of gases is given off when the battery is being charged.
Always avoid fires, sparks, open flame, and smoking. Never create s parks or electros tatic
charges when handling cables and electrical equip m en t. Ne ver short-circuit the battery
terminals. High-energy sparks can cause serious personal injury.
If you get battery acid in your eyes or on your skin, immediately rinse with cold water for
several minutes and get medical attention immediately. If you swallow any battery acid, get
medical attention immediately.
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WARNING
.
Improper use of jumper cables when jump -s tarting a vehicle with a dead battery can cau se
the battery to explode, leading to serious personal injury. To help reduce the r is k of battery
explosion:
All work on the batteries or the electrical system in your vehicle can cause seriou s acid
burns, fires, or electrical shocks. Always read and heed the follow ing WARNINGS and safety
precautions befor e w orking on the batteries or the electr ical system, Vehicle battery.
Always make sure that the battery providing starting assistance (the booster battery) has
the same voltage as the dead battery (12 V) and about the same amperag e c ap acity (see
battery label).
Never jump-start a vehicle with a thawed or frozen battery. The battery can explode. A
dead battery can freeze at temperatures around +32 °F (0 °C).
A battery that is frozen or was frozen, but has since thawed, must be repla ced.
When the vehicle battery is jump-started, it gives off hydrogen gas, which is highly
explosive! Always keep fire, sparks, open flame, and smoking materials far away from vehicle
batteries. Never use a cellular telephone while connecting or disconnecting jumper cables.
Jump-start batteries only in well-ventilated areas. Batteries give off highly explosive
hydrogen gas during jump-starting.
Always route the jumper cables so that they cannot get caught in any moving parts in the
engine comp artment.
Never short out the battery terminals by connecting the positive terminal (+) and negative
(–) terminals with each other.
Never connect the negative cable from the other vehicle directly to the negative terminal
of the dead battery, as this may cause the hydr og en ga s given off by the dead battery to
explode.
Never attach the negative cable from the vehicle providing s tar ting assistance to any part
of the fuel system or to the brake hoses or brake lines.
Never allow the non-insulated parts of the battery clamps to touch.
Never allow the jumper cable attached to the positive battery terminal to contact metal
parts of the vehicle.
Always follow the instructions of the jumper cable manufacturer.
NOTICE
.
To help prevent extensive damage to the vehicle el ectr ic al s ystem, read and heed the
following:
Connecting jumper cables improperly can cause a short circuit and do expensive damag e
to the vehicle's electrical system.
Do not let the vehicles touch each other while the jumper cables are connected. If they do,
electrical current may flow between the vehicles when the positive (+) terminals are connected,
causing electrical system damage.