16/11/2023
🚫IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL CAR OWNERS🚫
After several issues faced by our Valued Customers following dead batteries, we have noticed that when they call in a Tow Truck, tow truck drivers suggest jumpstarting the vehicle providing an easiest way for the customer to not have to tow the vehicle to their designated workshop.
Our sincere request to all car owners so they don’t have to go through the issues surfacing after same.
Please take some time to read the following and do not allow tow truck drivers to jumpstart your car for your own convenience.
Jump-starting with cables connected to a running vehicle can create a voltage surge large enough to fry expensive computers in either vehicle.
For example, engine control units (ECUs) constantly monitor the engine to keep its operation as efficient as possible, on board trip computers guide the driver on fuel efficiency and servicing requirements, plus airbags, cruise control, Bluetooth and other standard features of modern cars all rely on computers to function.
That's why jumpstarting can cause expensive damage to the on-board electronics of a modern car, as NRMA technical trainer Darrin Tucker explains.
“The big change is computers and it’s not as if a modern car has just one – a Mercedes-Benz S-Class from a few years ago has 64 ECUs (Electronic Control Units). Hooking up jumper leads can zap these computers,” he says.
Dealing with dead batteries
You probably keep jumper cables in your vehicle so you can solicit a jump if your car battery dies or offer a jump to a fellow driver. But jumping batteries on cars built after 2000 might not be so smart. That’s because newer vehicles contain as many as a dozen computers and even more digital devices. Jump-starting with cables connected to a running vehicle can create a voltage surge large enough to fry expensive computers in either vehicle. And, since most of these components communicate on a shared data bus, surge damage to just one computer or digital device (even a radio) can disable the entire data bus, preventing the vehicle from starting and costing hundreds to diagnose and repair. Think about that: You can cause expensive damage to your own car simply by providing a jump to someone else Here’s the bottom line: Dealing with a dead battery in a modern vehicle requires new equipment and techniques. We’ll get you up to speed on the latest jump-starting methods and show you what new equipment, like a jump start car battery charger, you need to safely jump-start and replace an automotive battery.
