If you own or run a truck in Decatur, IL, it makes good sense to know how to jumpstart your vehicle if ever the need arises. At Bob & Ron’s Repair Service, Inc, we give you the answers and advice you’ll need as the owner of a semi-truck, and we’re also here for those times when you need professional jumpstart services. In this article, we’ll talk about jumpstarting, when you might need to use this procedure and what to do if you can’t manage to jumpstart your truck yourself.

Why Learn How to Jumpstart Your Truck?

Knowing how to jumpstart your truck is good knowledge to have, no matter where your travels might take you, but is especially useful when you plan to travel longer distances. At Bob & Ron’s Repair Service Inc., we hear of many horror stories where drivers have been stranded miles away from home and miles from a secondary vehicle. Learning how to jumpstart your truck with either a battery charger or assisting vehicle can get you back on the road again quickly and without a traumatic story to tell.

The most common reason your truck will need to be jumpstarted is because of a dead battery. Dead batteries can occur out of the blue when you least expect and are most likely caused by a defective battery, because the battery has been drained, or when a truck is only driven short distances. Extreme cold conditions can also cause a weak or defective battery to fail.

How to Jumpstart Your Truck

To restart your truck, you’ll need either a battery charger or jump box, or a secondary vehicle with a battery of the same voltage (12v), jumper cables, and a pair of safety glasses. Follow the steps below to get your truck started:

• Put on your safety glasses. Turn off all electrical systems and ensure the engine is off.
• Locate the truck’s starter terminals. Clean away any debris or rust before connecting the cable.
• Attach a positive (+) end and negative (-) end of each cable to your battery’s starter terminals.
• If using a secondary vehicle, attach the cable’s other positive end and negative end to the second battery’s positive and negative terminals.
• If you are using a battery charger or jump box, connect the positive and negative ends to the corresponding terminals on the charger.
• Start the engine of the secondary vehicle or turn on the battery charger or jump box. Let the charge run for a few minutes.
• Start your truck to turn the engine over. If that doesn’t work, check your cables and connections and try again in a few minutes.
• Start the truck again and if it starts, disconnect the cables in the reverse order in which you secured them. Turn off the secondary car or jump box.
• Keep the truck running for around 20 minutes to ensure the battery has retained a good charge before you head off.

What to Do If Your Vehicle Fails to Start

There may be times when a truck fails to start and this is when you’ll need our professional jumpstart services or towing services in Decatur, IL. At Bob & Ron’s Repair Service Inc., we offer fast and friendly auto services and reliable local roadside assistance. You can contact us through our website or call us at (217) 877-4794. No matter where you are in Decatur, IL, we’ll get to you fast to get you back on the road.