Jump Start Help in Albuquerque When Desert Heat Hits a Battery

If your car won't start in Albuquerque, a jump start is often the fix, and summer heat is often the reason. Hot weather shortens a battery's life, and the airport averages about 22 days of 90 degrees or hotter in July alone. Jump it safely with the right cable order, or call for a jump. If it still won't run, it needs a tow.

Why does Albuquerque heat kill car batteries?

California's auto repair bureau, a consumer protection agency, puts it plainly. Hot weather can shorten a battery's life. Heat does its damage all summer long, without a warning sign. Then one day the battery is too weak to crank.

Albuquerque gets a lot of that heat. NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals for the airport show these averages:

Month	Normal high	Days at 90 or hotter
June	About 90 degrees	About 19
July	About 91 degrees	About 22
August	About 89 degrees	About 16

A few spring and fall days pass 90 too. And 100-degree days come about once a month in June and July. That's a long hot season for a battery sitting under a hood.

Why does my battery die in October, not July?

This one surprises people. The heat weakens the battery over the summer. But a weak battery can still start a warm engine. Then the nights turn cold.

In July, the normal low at the airport is about 66 degrees. By January, it's about 26. The airport sits at about 5,310 feet, so cold nights come fast once fall arrives. A tired battery that limped through August may quit on the first chilly morning.

So if your car cranked slowly all summer, treat that as a warning. Have the battery tested before the cold sets in. The repair bureau says to test it if it's near the end of its warranty. Ready.gov, from FEMA, also says to have a mechanic check your battery and ignition system.

Is it the battery, or something else?

Listen and look before anyone grabs cables. These signs point to a weak battery:

• Clicking when you turn the key. The starter wants power the battery can't give.
• Slow, groaning crank. The engine turns, but barely.
• Dim lights or a dark dash. Very little charge left.
• White or green crust on the posts. That's corrosion. The repair bureau says to check for corrosion, cracks and dirt.

Some signs say a jump won't help. A cracked or swollen battery case. A leak under the battery. Smoke, a burning smell, or a loud bang from the engine. The engine cranks strong but won't catch. In those cases, don't jump it. A car tow to a shop is the right call.

How do I jump a car safely in the heat?

Oregon's transportation department publishes a battery safety sheet. Its steps are simple. Follow them in this order.

1. Protect your eyes. Batteries hold corrosive acid. Wear safety glasses if you have them.
2. Turn everything off. Lights, radio and A/C off in both cars. A live load can make a spark.
3. Check the voltage. Both batteries must match. Check the label on each one.
4. Red to the good battery. Clamp one red cable end to the positive (+) post on the good battery.
5. Red to the dead battery. Clamp the other red end to the positive (+) post on the dead battery.
6. Black to the good battery. Clamp one black end to the negative (-) post on the good battery.
7. Black to bare metal last. Clamp the last end to clean metal on the dead car's engine, not its battery.

That last step matters most. Batteries give off hydrogen gas, and the sheet warns a spark can make one explode. Grounding on the engine keeps any spark away from the gas. Never set a tool on top of the battery, either.

Start the good car first. Then try the dead one. If it starts, take the cables off in reverse order. Then drive for a while, so the alternator can put some charge back.

Extra care on a hot afternoon

• Mind the metal. Clamps, hoods and engine parts get very hot in full sun. Use gloves or a rag.
• Keep sparks and flames away. No smoking anywhere near an open hood.
• Don't leave anyone in the car. The National Weather Service says it's never safe to leave a child, disabled person or pet locked in a car.

What if my car won't start at the Sunport?

This one's worth knowing before a trip. Cars sit for days in airport lots, in full sun. You land, walk out, and the battery is flat.

The Sunport's own FAQ says it can provide jump starts if its equipment is available and staffing allows. Call the Parking Office at 505-244-7883, or the main Sunport line at 505-244-7700. If they can't help that day, the Sunport says to call roadside help. That's when you can call us.

Tell us which lot or garage level you're in. The Sunport is in the Southeast quadrant, so say "SE" too.

Where else do batteries quit around Albuquerque?

Anywhere a car sits in the sun, then gets asked to start. A few common spots:

• River lots near the bridges. You parked for a bosque walk near Alameda, Montaño or Rio Bravo. Name the bridge when you call.
• Big open lots. Stadium lots, mall lots and park-and-rides bake all day with no shade.
• Your own driveway. A car that sat through a hot week, then a cold night, may not wake up.

In any of these, give the quadrant (NE, NW, SE or SW), the street and the nearest cross street. If you're in a big lot, add the row or a store name you can see.

What should I do while I wait in the heat?

If anyone is hurt, or your car is stuck in a live lane, call 911 first. Sentinel is not an emergency service. For a non-emergency police matter, Albuquerque police take calls at 505-242-COPS (505-242-2677).

A dead battery means no A/C. So plan for the heat while you wait:

• Find shade if it's safe. A building or a covered area beats a hot car with the windows up.
• Drink water. Keep a bottle in the car all summer.
• Watch for heat illness. The weather service lists heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, nausea and headache as signs of heat exhaustion. Confusion and hot, red skin can mean heat stroke. For heat stroke, call 911.
• Keep your phone charged. We'll be texting you.

Jump start, or something else?

Many no-starts need a jump start and nothing more. But tell us what you see, because other problems look alike:

• Keys locked inside? That's a car lockout, not a jump.
• Flat tire too? Hot pavement is rough on tires. Your driver can do a flat tire change with your spare.
• Jumped, but it died again? The battery or the charging system may be done. A tow to a shop is next.

How does Sentinel handle a jump start?

Sentinel Towing is a towing and roadside network. A vetted local partner tow company does the job. You tell us where the car is and what it's doing. We text your price before anyone is sent. If a jump doesn't work and you need a tow, we text a new price first, and you decide. Then we stay with you by text until help arrives. That's our Stay-With-You Promise.

For the rest of the city, from the Big I to the West Mesa, see our Albuquerque towing page.

Stuck right now? Call 1-888-TOW-1213, or request help online.

Albuquerque Jump Start Questions

Rules change, so check the official source before you rely on it. Sources: California Bureau of Automotive Repair: Summer Driving Tips, NOAA normals: Albuquerque airport, Oregon DOT: Hazards of Battery Charging, Albuquerque Sunport FAQs, Ready.gov: Car safety, NWS: Heat safety, NWS: Heat illness, Albuquerque Police: contact.