MOST of us have heard the dreaded click as we try to start our car and the engine doesn't turn. The quick solution is to give the flat battery a helping hand from another car or booster pack. Before you enlist your neighbour or dig out the battery pack, check your car's handbook, because some makers don't recommend jump starting. This is due to the potential surge of power from the alternator as it senses a flat battery and tries to charge it. That spike can damage one or more of the dozens of ECUs packed into modern cars. If your car shouldn't be jump started, the solution is to charge the battery or use something like the CS Free from CTEK. This provides a controlled charge, which should be enough to start the engine within 15 minutes. Because the battery is partially full, there's no spike from the alternator.
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