Man's Car Won't Start. Then He Gets Out His iPhone Charger: 'Let Me Show You How'

"We going with an iPhone charger."

New York UPS Driver’s Car Won’t Start. Then He Gets An iPhone Charger

Photo by: silverwithak & Mac Care

Ljeonida Mulabazi

By: Ljeonida Mulabazi

Mar 21, at 6:00pm ET

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A New York UPS driver says his vehicle wouldn’t start, so he found a creative way to get it running. It involves something you probably have on hand right now.

In a video, he demonstrates his unconventional method of starting his car.

“You wanna know how deep in the trenches I am?” @silverwithak asks, holding up the cable. “I’ll put you on. Let me show you how I turn my car on now.”

He then shows the open hood in front of him and reaches into the engine bay, pointing toward the starter solenoid.

“Now you grab one side right here,” he says, referring to the charger. “You put that little [expletive] right there.”

He presses the metal tip of the charger against the solenoid terminal, which causes the engine to immediately turn over. “And we going with an iPhone charger,” he says.

He adds in the TikTok’s text overlay, “Just throw the whole car out big bro.”

Some viewers found the situation entertaining.

“The Kia boys could never,” one wrote. “Got nothing me! Hahahaha,” @silverwithak replied.

Can You Start A Car With An iPhone Charger?

While it may look like an unusual hack, what’s happening here is surprisingly simple.

The part he’s touching is the starter solenoid, which is responsible for sending power from the battery to the starter motor. Normally, a driver will trigger that process when they turn the key or press the start button.

In this case, that signal isn’t getting through for a reason @silverwithak doesn’t reveal.

When he presses the metal end of the charger against the solenoid terminals, he’s effectively bridging the electrical connection manually and sending power directly to the starter. This forces the engine to crank.

It’s the same basic idea as using a screwdriver to jump a starter, just with a much less conventional tool.

What Happens When A Starter Goes Bad?

The starter is a small but powerful component that uses electricity from the battery to turn over the engine. Without it, the car won’t start.

According to Firestone Complete Auto Care, there are several signs that a starter may be failing. These include clicking, grinding, or whirring noises when you start the vehicle, as well as situations where the dashboard lights come on but the engine doesn’t crank.

In some cases, the engine may refuse to start even after a jump, or you might notice smoke coming from the area. A starter that’s been exposed to oil leaks can also fail prematurely.

Common causes for a bad starter include loose wiring, dirty or corroded connections, battery corrosion, and general wear over time.

However, despite how dramatic the video looks, a bad starter doesn’t mean the car is done for.

What do you think?

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Comments

According to AutoZone, a new starter typically costs between $80 and $350; getting a qualified mechanic to install it pushes the cost up to anywhere from $150 to $1,100, depending on the vehicle and labor. While not cheap, most would probably agree it’s far from a “throw the whole car out” situation.

Motor1 reached out to @silverwithak via TikTok direct message for comment. This article will be updated if he responds.

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