If the car will not turn over and you are stood next to it right now, ring the number above rather than reading. Everything below is here for the people deciding whether to call, not for the ones already stuck.
A jump start callout means a van comes to wherever the vehicle is parked, whether that is a driveway, a works car park, a supermarket bay or the side of a street, and gets the engine running with professional boosting equipment rather than domestic leads. We then test the battery and the charging system before we leave, so you know whether you have solved the problem or simply delayed it.
What actually happens when you ring
The call is short by design. We need the postcode or what three words, the make and model, whether the car is boxed in and whether the dash lights up at all. That last question tells us whether to expect a flat battery or something else, and it decides what comes off the van.
- Postcode, or a landmark if you are in a car park
- Make, model and roughly the engine size
- Whether the bonnet is accessible and the car can be reached
- What the car does when you turn the key: nothing, a click, or a slow turn
- Whether you need to be somewhere, so we can be honest about timing
Cars, vans and everything in between
Van work is a large part of what we do, and a cold three litre diesel needs equipment a pocket booster cannot match. Boot and floor mounted batteries, remote jump terminals under a cover, stop start systems with absorbent glass mat batteries and battery monitoring sensors are all routine to us. Hybrids are handled through the 12 volt auxiliary side only, never the traction system.
Why we test rather than boost and go
Anyone can put leads on a car. The reason people ring twice in a week is that the first boost was never followed by a test. Before we leave, we load test the battery and check charging output, so you find out whether you are dealing with a one off discharge, a battery at the end of its life or an alternator that is not putting anything back.
- Load and conductance test on the battery itself
- Charging output measured at the terminals with the engine running
- Terminals, earth straps and clamps checked and cleaned where needed
- Battery registration or coding where the vehicle requires it
- A replacement battery supplied and fitted on the spot if that is what it needs
What we bring for each situation
Telling us the symptom on the phone means the right kit is already on board.
| What the car does | Likely cause | What comes off the van |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing at all, no dash lights | Deeply flat battery or a disconnected terminal | Professional booster, terminal tools, test kit |
| Single heavy click | Battery too low to hold the starter in, or a solenoid | Booster plus voltage drop testing at the starter feed |
| Slow lazy crank | Reduced capacity, common in cold weather | Booster and a load test, replacement stock on board |
| Starts then dies once the leads come off | Charging system not supplying anything | Charging output test before any battery is sold |
Questions
Q.Do I need to be with the vehicle for a jump start callout?
Ideally yes, because the car needs driving afterwards and we want to hand it back running. If you cannot be there, ring us and we will talk through access and keys before we set off.
Q.Can you jump start a van as easily as a car?
Yes. Large diesel vans are a daily job for us and our boosting equipment is sized for them, which is where domestic leads and small boot packs tend to give up.
Q.What if the jump start does not hold?
Then the problem is not simply a discharged battery, and the test we carry out on site will show whether it is the battery, the charging system or a drain. We can supply and fit a replacement battery there and then if that is the answer.
Q.Do you come out in the middle of the night?
Yes, we are open 24 hours, seven days a week, including bank holidays. Night calls are common because people find the problem when they finish a late shift.
Towns and districts we cover
Birmingham, the Black Country and the surrounding Midlands towns. Pick your area for local detail.
- Birmingham
- Coventry
- Wolverhampton
- Solihull
- Sutton Coldfield
- Dudley
- Walsall
- West Bromwich
- Oldbury
- Halesowen
- Stourbridge
- Smethwick
- Tipton
- Wednesbury
- Bilston
- Kingswinford
- Rowley Regis
- Cradley Heath
- Brierley Hill
- Sedgley
- Willenhall
- Aldridge
- Brownhills
- Cannock
- Rugeley
- Nuneaton
- Bedworth
- Rugby
- Redditch
- Bromsgrove
- Edgbaston
- Moseley
- Kings Heath
- Harborne
- Selly Oak
Ring now and we will get you moving
One short call, a postcode, and a van heads your way with boosting equipment, test kit and replacement batteries on board.
Open 24 hours, seven days a week, bank holidays included.