VW Polo 2000 1.4 - Jumpstarting Help Needed!

[ScottyBhoy]

This is probably a very silly question but am very inexperienced with anything car maintenance wise.

Had to take car into garage this morning due to a problem with a switch - the brake lights remained on, this has led to a flat battery.

I bought a set of standard jump leads. Most cars I assume have the positive and negative nodes with no obstructions my VW Polo (02) certainly does however my wifes W reg for some reason has a silver bracket near the positive node which prevents the lead from connecting properly, the most I can get it on is a small screw. Anyone have any experience or if you can offer any advice it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[^neo^]

There are quite a few newer cars that you cant jump start, which is a bit of a pain!
Dont know why theyve done it, may be something to do with the electrical surge frying the ECU or something.

May be able to get the lead straight onto the starter if there is the thick live cable going directly to the battery

 

[simon_d]

you should be able to jump start ANY car. simply because instead of using your battery, your using another vehicles battery. easy way around the surge problem would be to make sure both engines are off and use thick leads. now if that does damage, then your car musnt need a battery to start....

 

[keifster]

I *think*, and I am probably less of a mechanical genius than the original poster, that jump-starting a car can damage the catalytic converter.

(I'm just a parrot repeating what I've been told!)

 

[davieboy]

jump starting is unlikely to damage the cat unless there is some other fault present. 'bump' starting or tow starting can damage the cat very easily.