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How do you jump-start a diesel truck?
My diesel truck died. I think I left the headlights on. How do I jump-start it?
Emily Maracle · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Jump-starting a diesel truck isn’t much different from jump-starting a regular vehicle. While diesel trucks usually have two batteries, they are usually parallel. When batteries are parallel, you only need to jump-start one battery to power the other.
- Put both vehicles in park or neutral if they have a manual transmission
- Turn off the lights and radio in your diesel truck
- Connect a clamp from the red jumper cable to the positive terminal of your truck, marked by a plus symbol or a red cap
- Connect the cable’s second clamp to the other vehicle’s positive terminal.
- Connect one of the black cable clamps to the other vehicle’s negative terminal, denoted by a minus symbol or black cap
- Find a piece of unpainted metal on your diesel truck and connect the second black clamp to it
- Start the engine of the other vehicle and let it run
- Turn the ignition key in your truck. If it doesn’t work, try giving it more time to charge
- Once the engine turns over, remove the black cables from both vehicles and then the red cables
- Make sure that neither colored cable touches each other or anything else
- Remove each clamp one at a time and you’re done
Once your truck fires up, keep it running for at least 20 minutes to ensure the batteries are recharged so it doesn’t die again when you turn it off
If you’re worried about your battery or you often drive in remote areas, think about adding
towing and labor coverage
to your current insurance policy. This type of coverage functions as roadside assistance and can provide battery and towing assistance.If your current insurer doesn’t have towing and labor coverage or you believe the insurer is charging too much, hop on the
Jerry
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- Gregory R.
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