Semi truck jump starts and battery service on I-57 in southern Illinois

Long overnight parks at the Marion Truck Plaza, the Ina truck stops at Exit 83 and the TA and Huck's at Mount Vernon bring a steady run of morning no-start calls. Summer heat wears batteries down, and a sharp winter cold snap finishes off the weak ones.

A jump gets you moving. Whether it holds depends on the battery pack and the charging system, so ask for a quick test while the provider is there.

Tell the provider

• The truck stop and the row you are parked in, or the mile marker and direction
• How many batteries the truck has and their group size, if you know
• Whether the dash lights come on at all
• Whether this is the second or third jump this week
• Whether a sleeper inverter or APU was running overnight

Signs you need new batteries

If the truck needs a jump every morning, a jump is only covering up the problem. A load test on each battery and a check of the alternator output will show whether the pack, one bad battery or the charging system is the cause.