jump start car bunnings

Because nothing says “good morning” like a click and silence, here’s how to jump start a car with a donor vehicle or a lithium jump starter you can buy at Bunnings.

Make sure it’s a 12 V system, turn everything off, then connect red to the flat battery’s positive, red to the donor’s positive, black to the donor’s negative, and the last black to an unpainted engine earth on the dead car.

Start the donor, wait a couple of minutes, then try the stricken car; remove the leads in reverse order and let it idle for 15–20 minutes to recharge a bit.

If you’re using a jump pack, follow the same clamp order, switch it on, crank, then switch off and disconnect—easy as a snag on a Sunday.

Wear eye protection, avoid spark-happy clamps touching, and never jump-start a swollen, frozen, or leaking battery; hybrids/EVs need manufacturer-specific procedures.

If it still won’t fire, the battery may be cactus or the alternator’s on strike—book a proper test at a workshop or through ServiceCentral.