Picture this: it’s ten-below-zero and you’re running late for work. You’re thinking of unanswered emails, unbuttoned coats, and (gasp!) unsipped coffee. Longing to feel the warmth of your car’s heater and begin the day, you bolt out of the house, shove the key in the ignition, and…nothing. It’s dead. Kaput. Your car won’t start, and there’s no one in sight to give you a jump. What to do?
Luckily, regardless of the weather, you don’t have to be a mechanic to get yourself out of this situation. So long as you have a jack, a rope, and a manual transmission, you can jump-start your car—and get back to your beloved agenda (and hot coffee)—in no time.
Start by propping your jack to the frame just behind one of your front tires (if you have front-wheel drive).
Set your parking brake and put your car in third gear.
Keep the key in the “on” or ACC position, even if you can’t hear any sounds coming from the car with a dead battery.
Finally, wrap a rope around the lifted front tire and pull.
This should start the car, as long as you pull hard enough!
It’s important to be proactive, so if you don’t have a jack and a rope in your car already, you should definitely get one. As long as you have these things, you should be able to get your car started in no time!