I'm a mechanic

Jun 04, 2023

A MECHANIC has revealed that traditional jumper cables can damage your vehicle's computer before recommending a product that holds the solution.

The fix was outlined in a TikTok by Sherwood, owner of Royalty Auto Service in Georgia, who has been in the car business for 27 years.

Sherwood began his video posted to Royalty Auto Service's (@royaltyautoservice) TikTok account by jokingly throwing a pair of traditional jumper cables in the garbage.

Next, he said: "If you’ve got to jumpstart your car, help someone else jumpstart their car, pick up a little TopDon [JumpSurge2000] jumper starter."

Sherwood added: "This isn't a sales pitch for them. I bought this thing; it's $55.

"A set of jumper cables is $25 — $30 bucks.

"Spend the extra 25 bucks, buy this, and let's not destroy a computer in your car or on the one you’re jump starting."

The computer Sherwood's referring to is an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) — which keeps your engine working smoothly.

This ECU damage occurs when drivers incorrectly link their jumper cables or connect with a key in their ignition, which can cause an unhealthy power surge, frying the component.

Sherwood recommends taking TopDon's jump starter, linking it to a battery's positive and negative connections, and hitting the accessory's power button.

The mechanic said: "When you’re done, take the negative off first, then take the positive off, recover it, [and] you’re good to go."

TopDon's jump starter presents less risk than jumper cables with its 10 built-in protections against reverse polarities, short circuits, over-currents, and more, according to the product's Amazon page.

The overlay test at the end of Royalty Auto Service's video read: "We really have so many horror stories of [ECU] modules damaged from jumper cables."