Have you ever gotten out to your car in the morning on your way to work or some other important and time sensitive event only to see that the door was left SLIGHTLY ajar or perhaps you got in the car and realized that you left the headlights on all night long? This realization is usually followed by the inner monologue turned into actually talking to yourself of: “no no no nO NO NO NO NO!” I feel you, bro. I really do.  

You look helplessly at your car, too afraid to actually turn the key to confirm your worst fears. By not turning it on, you don’t have to deal with it, right? RIGHT? So now, you’re just wasting time staring at your car, but the time has come to actually try to start your car. Fingers crossed. Here we go. You hear your car actually fighting for its life…attempting to turn over…then silence. One more time for good measure. It sounds like I do after climbing the 3rd flight of stairs of 6 flights. It wants to get there, to start for you, but it’s just not happening, friend.

You start to experience the stages of grief in rapid succession. This can’t possibly be happening today! I have that meeting/appointment/ thing that isn’t THAT important but this is WAY inconvenient that you HAVE to get to. Deep into denial, you continue to turn the key even though you know that the outcome will be the same. A slight rumble of activity followed by a deafening silence. The definition of insanity comes to mind, but still, you persist. When this doesn’t work you get really creative with the expletives and shake the wheel as though your anger alone will bring your car back to life. It doesn’t.

You may not typically be the praying type, but here you are praying to whatever vehicular deities exist in this world that could change the course of this tragic situation. You are literally bargaining with your car telling it how you won’t neglect it ever again. Your car will live in the lap of luxury-like a well-loved cat in a middle-class home. IT WILL BE TREASURED! Alas, your car is not capable of making the kind of comeback you were hoping for, so you slowly fall into the abyss of hopelessness. This is your life now.

As you realize that you were being, perhaps slightly melodramatic, you start to accept that this is ok, you can handle this situation. With acceptance comes just enough clarity of mind to ask a kind neighbor to help you jumpstart your car. Up until now, you forgot that this was even an option. Fortunately, they have agreed to help, even after watching you have a mental breakdown at the hands of a car battery, they help. Now that your car is up and running all you have to do is keep it running for 30 minutes to ensure that it holds the charge, and remember to close all doors and turn off lights.

For anyone who is unfamiliar with jumpstarting your car below are the key points to know:

1. Take out your jumper cables.

2. Place both vehicles in Park or Neutral and shut off the ignition in both cars.

3. Engage both parking brakes

4. Attach the cables

   1. Attach the other red clip to the positive terminal of the other car.

   2. Attach one of the black clips to the negative terminal on the other battery.

   3. Attach the last black clip to an unpainted metal surface on your car that isn’t near the battery.

      1. TIP: Make sure to connect jumper cables in the proper order.

5. Start the working vehicle and let the engine run for a few minutes.

6. Try to start your vehicle

Stop by Younger Mitsubishi to have your battery checked just in case there is another problem!