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Ottawa & surrounding areas

Battery Boost & Jump Start

Roadside jump-starts done with proper equipment and correct polarity — plus an honest answer about whether the battery will survive the week.

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A dead battery is among the most common winter calls in Ottawa and one of the cheapest to solve. It is also the easiest to get wrong: reversed polarity or a careless connection can cost far more than the boost.

Cold reduces the current a battery can deliver while simultaneously increasing the current the engine needs to turn over. That is why a battery that seemed fine in October is completely dead in January.

Once the vehicle is running, the driver can tell you whether the battery took a charge or whether it is going to strand you again tomorrow. If it will not hold, you have a choice: drive straight to a shop, or have us tow it.

If the vehicle boosts but immediately dies again once disconnected, the problem is usually the alternator rather than the battery — in which case driving it is a bad idea and a tow is the right call.

What this covers

  • Jump-start with correct polarity and controlled supply
  • Battery and charging-system assessment
  • Advice on whether the battery will hold
  • Conversion to a tow if the vehicle will not stay running

What happens when you call

  1. 1

    Describe what happens

    Clicking, slow cranking, and nothing at all point at different problems.

  2. 2

    Access check

    The truck needs to reach the vehicle. In a tight parkade stall this may need a portable pack instead.

  3. 3

    Boost and assess

    The vehicle is started and the charging system is checked.

  4. 4

    Drive or tow

    If it will hold, you drive away. If it will not, we tow it instead.

Questions about battery boost

How long should I drive after a boost?
At least 20 to 30 minutes of continuous driving to put meaningful charge back. Short trips will not do it, and shutting the vehicle off immediately usually means it will not restart.
Can you boost a hybrid or EV?
Hybrids and EVs have a conventional 12V battery that can go dead independently of the main pack, and that 12V battery can usually be boosted. Tell us the vehicle when you call.
Do you sell batteries?
Ask the dispatcher what is available at the time of your call.

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