[_MerF_]

How did you jump start the car? From a battery pack or from another car? The latter is probably a bad idea for a car as computerized as a Cruze. Electrical junk from the other car could come over and mess with the Cruze's system.

Do you have any evidence to back this up? Ive never heard of this, and from a basic understanding of the electrical systems I have a hard time believing this would be true.

 

[_MerF_]

Oh, I gotcha. Still, once the dead car has enough charge to turn over and start, you would immediately disconnect anyway...so while they are connected the "host" car is simply supplying 12VDC (more or less) to the battery at a few amperes of current.

Im not arguing that there is some merit to your suggestion, just that I would not jump right to that conclusion myself.

 

[_MerF_]

A car is hundreds if not thousands of little computers each running on very precise voltage and currents. When you boost your car your basically creating an inrush of current and voltage, any added current or voltage to such a precise electrical system could cause damage.

There's a reason the pros now use booster packs that have circuit protecting tech in them, and not the old school way with jumper cables.

Your alternator doesn't charge at an exact 12VDC. It varies wildly, and the electronics are designed for that. "Booster packs", if that's a portable charging pack, I believe the main appeal to that would simply be that it's portable. So you can jump yourself.