1. Park another vehicle with a properly charged battery near your Golf, ensuring that the two vehicles are not touching. The second vehicle will serve as the donor car.
2. Open the hoods of both vehicles to access the batteries.
3. Identify the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals on both batteries. They are usually marked with a "+" or "-" symbol on the battery itself or near the terminals.
4. Connect the jumper cables. Follow this order:
- Connect one end of the red (positive) jumper cable to the positive terminal of the charged battery (donor car).
- Connect the other end of the red (positive) jumper cable to the positive terminal of the discharged battery (your Golf).
- Connect one end of the black (negative) jumper cable to the negative terminal of the donor car's battery.
- Connect the other end of the black (negative) jumper cable to an unpainted metal surface on your Golf's engine block, away from the battery.
5. Start the donor car and let it run for a few minutes to charge up the Golf's battery.
6. Try starting your VW Golf. If it starts successfully, leave it running.
7. Let both vehicles run for a while, allowing the Golf's battery to charge further.
8. Remove the jumper cables in reverse order. Disconnect the black (negative) cables first, then the red (positive) cables.
9. Once the cables are removed, you can turn off the donor car and continue driving your Golf as normal.
Remember, the donor car cannot be a hybrid or electric vehicle; it must have a traditional 12V battery. Additionally, ensure that the jumper cables are in good condition and the terminal connections are clean and tight to prevent sparking or poor contact.
If you still encounter difficulties starting your vehicle, or the battery fails again soon, a more thorough inspection and potential battery replacement may be needed.
