Start ICE car with flat battery using M3?

[totteraptor]

Any suggestions how I might use my M3 to start my oldtimer with a drained battery?

 

[jmaddr]

While you might make it work, the owners manual recommends against it:

Jump Starting the 12V Battery
Caution: Model 3 cannot be used to jump start another vehicle. Doing so can result in damage.

 

[cypho]

The model 3 12 volt battery can't put out enough current to jump start another car. This is obvious if you just look at the 12 volt battery. It is like one-third the size of a normal car battery.

However, if you connect the other car's battery to the Tesla's 12 volt battery and walk away for a few hours, the Tesla will charge the other car's battery. Then you can disconnect the Tesla and start up the other car.

 

[user212_nr]

Any suggestions how I might use my M3 to start my oldtimer with a drained battery?

The 12v battery in the model 3 is only a tiny battery that keeps getting recharged from the larger battery. Trying to jump start a car with the model 3 battery would have the same effect as trying to jump start a car with a 9v smoke detector battery. The only difference is that you have more to loose if something goes wrong.

You will need to invest in the proper tools for maintaining your ICE vehicle:
1) Battery charger https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-GENIUS1-Fully-Automatic-Temperature-Compensation/dp/B07W46BX31
2) Jump starter https://www.amazon.com/GOOLOO-18000mAh-SuperSafe-Starter-Portable/dp/B0748D8KT6

I don't know if Amazon delivers to Switzerland, but you can buy locally the equivalents. The slow charger is very inexpensive.

Better yet, just get rid of the old car.

 

[arnolddeleon]

The model 3 12 volt battery can't put out enough current to jump start another car. This is obvious if you just look at the 12 volt battery. It is like one-third the size of a normal car battery.

However, if you connect the other car's battery to the Tesla's 12 volt battery and walk away for a few hours, the Tesla will charge the other car's battery. Then you can disconnect the Tesla and start up the other car.

This is is what I would do if needed. The main point is I would disconnect the Tesla before starting the other car.

I just carry a Lithium battery jump starter pack in the car these days, no jumper cables. If someone needed a jump I would use that. If I was in hurry I would just give it away.

 

[ucmndd]

What everyone else said. Don’t do that.

 

[CyberGus]

The CyberTruck should include a 12V "Wrangler Rescue Cable"

 

[smatthew]

I feel like dead 12v batteries have become fairly rare on ICE vehicles. Modern cars generally turn stuff off before the voltage gets too low. Often times a car that need to be jump started will not be able to start again on it's own until after its battery is replaced.
Don't forget - the 12V battery in a Tesla is a deep cycle battery. It was never intended to start an ICE engine.

If you find that you're not driving your ICE vehicle as much, I'd suggest getting a battery maintainer for it. A small trickle charge keeps everything in tip-top shape and avoids the need to get a jump start and the battery damage that entails.

 

[Scrannel]

Call AAA.

 

[totteraptor]

Thanks all
I am not going to risk my favorite car . Just needed to know if there was a hack - but no.
I am actually about to sell the old bugger - if anybody is actually going to pay money for it

 

[Massive Attack]

I feel like dead 12v batteries have become fairly rare on ICE vehicles. Modern cars generally turn stuff off before the voltage gets too low. Often times a car that need to be jump started will not be able to start again on it's own until after its battery is replaced.
Don't forget - the 12V battery in a Tesla is a deep cycle battery. It was never intended to start an ICE engine.

If you find that you're not driving your ICE vehicle as much, I'd suggest getting a battery maintainer for it. A small trickle charge keeps everything in tip-top shape and avoids the need to get a jump start and the battery damage that entails.

Last summer I was flying drones with my son in a park. The wife is sitting in our 2014 Honda CR-V in accessory mode, charging her phone and listening to music. 30 minutes later we went to drive away and you guessed it the 12v battery was near dead, not even clicks when turning the ignition key. The battery was 3 years old, and it was our only source of transportation for 5 years (the car got driven 28 days out of 31).

I have a portable jump starter/battery charger, but it keep reading an error, so I called AAA, they arrived and charged the battery (AAA supplied 3 years ago). They took a reading on the battery and said it was under charged, failing, and I should look at replacing it in the next few months. I hassled the guy about their top of the line battery only lasting 3 years before an iPhone can drain it in 30 minutes.

Spent $150 on a new battery the next day. Hopefully it lasts longer than 3 years.

 

[M3-Florida]

Last summer I was flying drones with my son in a park. The wife is sitting in our 2014 Honda CR-V in accessory mode, charging her phone and listening to music. 30 minutes later we went to drive away and you guessed it the 12v battery was near dead, not even clicks when turning the ignition key. The battery was 3 years old, and it was our only source of transportation for 5 years (the car got driven 28 days out of 31).

I have a portable jump starter/battery charger, but it keep reading an error, so I called AAA, they arrived and charged the battery (AAA supplied 3 years ago). They took a reading on the battery and said it was under charged, failing, and I should look at replacing it in the next few months. I hassled the guy about their top of the line battery only lasting 3 years before an iPhone can drain it in 30 minutes.

Spent $150 on a new battery the next day. Hopefully it lasts longer than 3 years.

My 2013 Honda CR-V did the same thing. Battery seemed fine (no stutter cranking or dim headlights) but the one time I used accessory mode for less than an hour, the battery crapped out, and even after a full charge at home, then started slow cranking, etc.

Also a family member has a 2017 CR-V and their battery went out twice in less than 3 years. Honda covered it under warranty both times but it was a bit odd since it's a fairly new car.

 

[Massive Attack]

My 2013 Honda CR-V did the same thing. Battery seemed fine (no stutter cranking or dim headlights) but the one time I used accessory mode for less than an hour, the battery crapped out, and even after a full charge at home, then started slow cranking, etc.

Also a family member has a 2017 CR-V and their battery went out twice in less than 3 years. Honda covered it under warranty both times but it was a bit odd since it's a fairly new car.

I'm impressed they covered the battery replacement under warranty. When our first one went out, we were under warranty, but the service manager said like tires, brakes, and wiper blades, they considered the battery to be excluded from the bumper-to-bumper warranty. I have to say, I expect better from Honda, especially for one of their top models.

 

[Mixdup]

Call AAA.

OP lives in Switzerland

 

[BrandX]

OP lives in Switzerland

So they don't tow that far?

 

[Scrannel]

OP, you're not in Bern are you?

 

[totteraptor]

Bought a $18 charger on amazon - all good