Last week on Motorweek Pat Goss said that jumper cables should not be used on modern cars. He said that sensitive electronics could be damaged by their use. His suggestion was to use a device he showed that connects from one car's cigarette lighter to the lighter in the other car.

Is his assertion correct?

Are these devices really safer to use than jumper cables?

Generically what are these devices called?

Does anybody have experience with these devices?

Thanks,
Kevin Craig
98.5 2.8 QTip Avant

Your starter needs at least 400 depending on temperature. So Either Pat was smoking some stuff or someone was selling a device just to slow charge the other car by plugging it into another. Another thing, To have the lighter socket live, you need to have the key in the On or Acc position on most cars (Audi and VW always on) So now the 'dead' car will have other circuits competing for power such as the ECU, radio, ignition, etc..

Go buy some nice heavy duty jumper cables. They are safe. Unless you jump with a truck (at 24 or 48V) you're fine with other cars. Tip to get the most current to the dead car is to connect the negative side to the engine block of the dead car, battery side of the live car.

Good luck, and I watch Motorweek to see the cars, not the gadgets (as seen on TV!) :-)

so I always make a point of not having the ignition on in the donner car. That way the ECU is protected, and having your car on only supplies another 10 or 20% to what the battery can already deliver, so why bother.

He (Pat Goss) is correct, the other could have give you a electrical spike when trying to start you car and the could mess up your computer..or vis versa you probally could mess up there car...the thing he is talking about is called a booster pack, a sealed battery pack w/jumper cables attached to it..you charged it at your home and carry it in the trunk..when cars goes dead connect it to the battery and start it up..it also has a cigarette adapter so you can charge you cell phone or any thing else..Stores sell them for about $100.00 they have 900 peak amps to stat your car..they work great..Security guards have them at my job so when people leave there lights on allll dayyy the guards jump the cas w/them...if you want e-mail me I'll scan in the page from the catalog I have