Can you bump-start a FiST?

[rpt50]

Being able to bump-start my cars (I always drive manuals) has come in handy a few times over the years (dead battery, starter won't engage, etc.). Is that possible with the Fiesta ST? I've never had a push button start car. How would you do it?

 

[Zormecteon]

Assuming enough power to turn it on but not turn over the engine.. . .

Hit the START button to put the can into "accessory mode" then follow the usual procedure... push in the clutch, push the car, put it in gear, let out the clutch and HOPE.

Never done it, don't know if it works.

YMMV
My 2¢

 

[Intuit]

Portable jump-starters are pretty danged cheap now.
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=portable+jump+start
Dunno how often you have to pull them out of the trunk to recharge or what the chances of their Li-Ion battery burning your residence/ride down. A smarter design would allow it to plug into the 12v system to maintain the battery at a constant 67% "tender" storage capacity... best for Li-Ion... and still more than enough to jump a smaller engine.

With my prior car, could easily tell when it was time to replace the battery just by the crank speed. Did have one battery that strangely failed on the capacity end versus load. Couldn't run the hazard lights or radio for more than a short time, but it never had any problem cranking the engine, even if it sat for a week. But that is unusual.

 

[VuDoo]

Yes you can. I have done it once. I have been so used to automatics over the years that when my battery died I almost forgot that I could do this with a manual.

 

[scotman]

Bump starting is doable.But, be warned, I have seen cases of timing belt being stripped of cogs. Fiesta, most Honda's, Chevy Aveo are interference design engines. Meaning the pistons will contact the valves if the T-belt breaks. Bump starting or push starting a high mileage interference engine has that risk. I've seen it happen three times. A jump box or another car and jumper cables are best.

 

[Intuit]

He means stripped teeth off the timing belt. That's how the timing belts typically failed for my last vehicle... just looses a few teeth, and not necessarily all at once. Belt otherwise looks perfectly fine. That was a non-interference engine so we could afford to be a little neglectful on it. I always replaced it before complete failure because the belt would slip a couple of teeth, causing a change in performance, which tipped me off to go check it.

 

[jmrtsus]

Bump starting is doable.But, be warned, I have seen cases of timing belt being stripped of cogs. Fiesta, most Honda's, Chevy Aveo are interference design engines. Meaning the pistons will contact the valves if the T-belt breaks. Bump starting or push starting a high mileage interference engine has that risk. I've seen it happen three times. A jump box or another car and jumper cables are best.

All you have to do is start it in second gear and don't pop the clutch, let it out gently..... newbies doing it in first gear and popping the clutch is beginner stuff. I learned how to do it correctly from my father at about 12-13 years old learning how to drive. I have never damaged a car or heard of any friends or SCCA club members that have either.

 

[scotman]

The human factor. If something can be damaged by employing bad or poorly reasoned methods​, it will probably happen.

 

[chicagoslick]

All you have to do is start it in second gear and don't pop the clutch, let it out gently..... newbies doing it in first gear and popping the clutch is beginner stuff. I learned how to do it correctly from my father at about 12-13 years old learning how to drive. I have never damaged a car or heard of any friends or SCCA club members that have either.

Yeah, I was always taught second or third gear and to gently let it out. Been better that 15 years since I have had to do that on any vehicle.

 

[Intuit]

I've seen a section on jump-starting in the owner's manual, but don't ever recall noticing a section on push-starting.

 

[thePete]

^I can't see any modern manufacturer advising push starting the vehicle. Way too much liability.

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[RBatty]

Assuming enough power to turn it on but not turn over the engine.. . .

Hit the START button to put the can into "accessory mode" then follow the usual procedure... push in the clutch, push the car, put it in gear, let out the clutch and HOPE.

Never done it, don't know if it works.

YMMV
My 2¢

Curious if this would work with a 0% battery, or no battery at all (completely disconnected). Assuming absolutely no power, the electric fuel pump, and high pressure pump, would not feed fuel, therefore even tho the engine would crank I don't think it would actually start. Maybe if you could get some revolutions the alternator would generate enough juice to push some fuel. But with no battery there is no way to engage accessory mode, or switch 'on' the ECU and the pumps would probably stay 'off'. And would steering column lock disengage with no battery?

 

[rpt50]

Interesting discussion guys. Thanks for all the replies. If I do kill my battery somehow I think I'll just wait for a jump.

Kinda funny how much cars have changed, and how complex things have become. I can remember as a teen driving cars with a manual choke operated from a pull knob on the dash!

 

[thePete]

Curious if this would work with a 0% battery, or no battery at all (completely disconnected). Assuming absolutely no power, the electric fuel pump, and high pressure pump, would not feed fuel, therefore even tho the engine would crank I don't think it would actually start. Maybe if you could get some revolutions the alternator would generate enough juice to push some fuel. But with no battery there is no way to engage accessory mode, or switch 'on' the ECU and the pumps would probably stay 'off'. And would steering column lock disengage with no battery?

No. When it's that dead, it's dead. It needs at least enough juice to get the pcm and ipc online at minimum.

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[Zormecteon]

For jump starting, (as opposed to bump starting) I keep one of those new battery packs. I've used it once on my Miata and once on the neighbors car. They take up less space than carrying a set of jumper cables, and you don't have to find someone to assist. They're cheap insurance.

 

[thePete]

I've started a cold diesel with one of those. They're pretty legit. Not sure how long they retain a charge for, but I'm a fan. ^

 

[Zormecteon]

I've started a cold diesel with one of those. They're pretty legit. Not sure how long they retain a charge for, but I'm a fan. ^

To keep the one I have topped up, I recharge it once every three or four months

 

[TyphoonFiST]

They start losing charge at about 3 months for most of them having owned a few...they come with either a light setup green...yellow....red or a numerical gauge to reveal the charge level. But man they beat the tell out of a large bulky jump box. I can fit mine in my glove box if I want....but I mostly keep it in the back/trunk. Worth every penny..IMO.

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[Intuit]

Li-Ion batteries are most happy when stored around 67% of capacity.

The extra-portable increasingly miniaturized jump starters are a relatively new product on the market. Pretty much every product with exception to aerial drones and portable micro-USB chargers, when *initially* introduced to the market, has had problems with Li-Ion battery breach. They make tweaks to the charging systems and batteries and the problems cease. It is likely always a tiny fraction of the total product that experiences any sort of catastrophic failure. But I would avoid storing it in a hot vehicle near 100% of capacity.