How do you Start your Car in an Emergency if the Self-Start Conks Off?

Faulty starter motors or drained batteries may leave cars stranded and suppose you are completely alone and in an emergency, then it can be scary. Push starting is difficult for a single person since you will have to push the vehicle, generate momentum and then jump into the car, slot in the first gear and get the engine cranking again.

Method 1:

A new method has been seen in a video which claims that you can accomplish the task within just 30 seconds. Narendra 7010 is the YouTuber uploading this video on his channel, showing that a car may be started with a few things required, namely the jack lift and a rope. Two cars have been used by Narendra, namely the Mahindra TUV300 and Renault Kwid. First, he shows how the Kwid is lifted with the jack lift from a side. Once the tyre gets up a little into the air, the car is put into reverse gear. The wheel in the air is tied with the rope which is pulled towards the person. This makes the car start; the ignition should be switched on as well, which is not displayed in the video. The cabin is also not visible in this video.

A point worth pondering here is that when the car remains in gear, it is really tough to get the tyre moving. This is because it will need a lot of force for movement, leading to transmission damages as well. The person adds that you can do the same thing by slotting the vehicle into first gear.

The same method is used for the Mahindra TUV300 in the second video posted by Narendra 7010. He mentions that you should be clear about the car being rear wheel or front wheel drive. Since this SUV is rear wheel drive, the rear wheel is then jacked upwards. The SUV goes in first gear and the key is put into the ignition. The rope is tied to the rear wheel and pulled. The wheel begins spinning and the vehicle starts subsequently .

Is this a safe method?

It is not known for sure whether this method will work or not. If the vehicle does not start by pulling the rope, it may lead to severe damages to the transmission system. You should always go for roadside assistance in such scenarios as recommended by experts. You should either try to push start the vehicle if there is a dead battery or attempt the usage of jumping cables and charged batteries. This method should be a last resort when everything else is unavailable and you are stuck in a place which is so remote that it is impossible to find any help.

Method 2

This one is a tried and tested method although it requires a lot of effort. Sticking to roadside assistance for your trip is always recommended. Before push starting the car, make sure that you are not trying to start the vehicle when the ignition key is not cranking it up at all. Doing so may damage the fuel pump. Choose a downhill curve in the road which is safe. This will make it easier for you to push the car. You should always try and get help if there are people nearby. Switch on the hazard lights of your car or use safety reflectors.

Begin handling the steering wheel while another person pushes the car. 8-10 kmph is the speed that will get the car started. Release the hand brake, while keeping the gearbox at neutral. Once you hit the speed desired, switch to gear 2 and leave the clutch while pressing the accelerator neatly. This works I most scenarios. If this does not and you feel that the car battery still has something left to power the motor, attempt at turning the ignition while leaving the clutch. This may work like magic, especially if the car has not been driven for many weeks.

Once you have started your car, press the clutch and shift to neutral, while parking on the side. Let the car idle for a few minutes or charge batteries by taking it for a drive.