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If you’re reading this, we assume that you’re having car troubles and searching videos or guides on the internet on how to start a car with a dead battery without another car. Some videos and tutorials on the internet simply assume that you’re MacGyver with the proper DIY attitude and skip all the important bits like safety, dos and don’ts and more. We’re here to instill some much needed car survival skills and will go over two different ways you can jump start your vehicle.

Remember how people use the phrase “nothing is impossible”? Well, if you have a vehicle with automatic transmission, there is no point reading this as it’s impossible to get it started without another car or a portable jump starter.

If you’re an owner of a car with a manual transmission or have a handy dandy portable jump starter and are wondering how to jump start your vehicle with a dead battery, then you’re in luck. There are a couple of ways you can jump start your car with a dead battery without another car. In this tutorial, we will show you two ways on how to start a car with a dead battery without another car; push start or using a portable jump starter.

How to start a car with a dead battery without another car using push start?

If you’ve got a car with a dead battery and don’t have a portable jump starter with you, then push start can get your car going. Push start is a way to forcefully bring a car back to life. You can say it is somewhat similar to giving CPR, however, it only works with manual transmission vehicles. So, how can one push start their car?

If you’re on a slope, Gravity is your friend. You can easily get your car going without the need for pushing it. If the driving surface is flat or uneven, you would need someone to push the car to get it going.

Push start your car: A step by step walkthrough

1. Sit in the car and shift to second gear with the clutch pressed.
2. Release the parking brake and let your friends know that you’re ready.
3. Once they start pushing the car and as it starts to gain speed, release the clutch immediately. The car will buck, sputtering to life.
4. If it doesn’t, then repeat the process at higher speeds.

Now let’s go on to the second way of starting a car with a dead battery. You can even use this method if you have an automatic transmission vehicle, however, you would definitely need a portable jump starter with cables on hand.

How to start a car with a dead battery without another car using a portable jump starter?

Another way you can jump start your car with a dead battery without another car is to use a portable jump starter. But hold on and keep on reading! it’s important to understand how to jump start a car using a portable jump starter safely.

Safety should always be first. Before you get your bob the builder hat on, wear a pair of non-conductive mechanic gloves.

Done? Let’s get started by following the steps below on how to start a car with a dead battery without another car using a portable jump start box.

Using a portable jump starter: A step by step walkthrough

1. Charge your portable jump starter if it’s not already fully charged.
2. Connect the cables to its respected posts. Red cable goes on the positive terminals of the dead battery while the black one clamps on the negative.
3. Some kits come with integrated cables, thus removing the need for additional cable attachment.
4. Once safely connected, switch on your portable jump-starter and allow a minute or two before turning the ignition on and starting your car.
5. If it doesn’t work, allow a few more minutes for the battery to charge before trying again.
6. If the car starts, you’re done. Switch off the portable jump-starter and remove the clamps safely. Do not take off your gloves until everything is done.
7. Pat yourself on the back as you’ve officially learned how to jump start your car without another car using a portable jump starter.

We’re not completely done here. You may have learned how to jump start your vehicle, however, wrapping up things is just as important.

Using a portable jump starter: Disconnecting the cables safely

Follow the guidelines below to safely disconnect the jumper cables:

1. First remove the black (negative) cable from the car’s battery
2. Remove the black cable from the portable jump starter
3. Disconnect the red (positive) cable from the car’s battery
4. Remove the red cable from the portable jump starter and you’re done

These are two easy ways on how to start a car with a dead battery without another car. If both the methods fail, then you’ve got a bigger problem at hand but don’t worry and remember to stay calm.

You can simply call a mechanic over if you’re at home to have a look. However, if you’re on the road then connect with a local towing service.

We hope that our easy step by step guide on “how to start a car with a dead battery without another car” will be sufficient the next time you run into a car with a dead battery.