Corvette: How to Jump Start Your Corvette
Failing to start, slow start, dimmed lights, and a dead car are all signs of a dead battery. Jump starting it will get you back on the road in a matter of minutes.
This article applies to the C5, C6 and C7 Corvette (1997-current).
Whether you forgot to turn off your headlights or dome light, or your battery is old, your battery can die for a number of reasons. A dead battery is a common issue and most of drivers will be faced with it one day or another. Fortunately, a dead battery can be fixed by jump starting it. It is recommended you always carry jumper cables in the trunk of your car, as they don't use up much room and can come in handy when you need them. If you own a manual transmission Corvette, you're also in luck. This article shows you the trick to jump starting your manual transmission without using jumper cables, too.
Materials Needed
- Jumper cables
- Another car
- A helper (optional)
Automatic Transmission
Step 1 – Ask for help
It is always recommended that you call a friend to come help you for safety purposes, but flagging another car down and asking them for assistance is always an option, and people usually don't mind helping.
Pro Tip
If your battery is dead and you find yourself in a dark area, it is recommended you call a friend for help. However, if your battery dies in a well-lit parking lot, asking for help should be a safe bet.
Step 2 – Park face to face
Ask the helper to park their car facing yours (nose to nose) and leave the engine running. Get it close enough to where the jumper cable can comfortably reach.
Step 3 – Connect the jumper cable
Open the hoods of both cars, or in the case of later model Corvettes: the trunk, locate the batteries, and connect the jumper cable to the car that is current running. Start by connecting the negative cable (black) to the negative battery terminal of the working car. The connect the positive cable to the battery terminal of the dead car. Next, attach the positive cable to the battery of the working car. Note that one you touch both terminals, you may see some small sparking for a second, that's normal. Finally, using the chassis ground point, i.e. any unpainted metal surface in the engine bay, clamp the negative terminal onto the dead car.
Warning
Checking the colors is not enough, because some people install the cables flipped. Make sure you check for the negative sign (-) and the positive sign (+) on the battery itself. Negative goes to negative and positive goes to positive.
Step 4 – Start the cars
You can rev up the engine of the working car slightly to help charge the dead battery. Then, start the dead car. It may sound dead, and that's normal because it was. Once it starts, remove the negative cable from both batteries, then remove the positive cable from both batteries. Let the car run for a few minutes before you start driving it. The longer you wait, the more it will charge; just don't wait until you run out of gas.
Manual Transmission
There is a trick to jumping your manual transmission Corvette without actually using a jumper cable; it's called a push start. In the unfortunate situation where your battery is dead and you don't have a jumper cable, ask two friends to push your Corvette while you sit inside of it. With the car in the "on" position (push the start button for 10 seconds to re-energize it), step on the clutch, put the car in second gear, and when it reaches the speed of 5 mph or more, let go of the clutch quickly while pressing on the gas gently. If the car doesn't turn right over, try pumping the clutch.
Warning
Don't push the car on a busy street. Watch how much you step on the gas as the Corvette is a very powerful car. Once it starts, it could surprise you. The push start method isn't recommended in the owner's manual.
Related Discussions
- Push Start - CorvetteForum.com
- Jump Start - CorvetteForum.com
