We all know the stomach-drop feeling of getting in your car, turning the key, and… nothing happens. The car doesn’t turn over. You may hear an annoying clicking sound, or you may hear nothing at all. All of a sudden, you realize your battery is dead, and you’re going nowhere fast until you get a jump.
Fret not! Jump starting a car is a fairly easy process, as long as you have the proper tools and another friendly motorist to lend you some volts. Here’s our quick guide for how to jump start a car with another car.
What You’ll Need
In order to properly jump start a vehicle, there are a couple supplies you absolutely must have, and a few more that can be extremely helpful.
The key item is a set of jumper cables. Most of us know what they are and what they look like: A pair of red and black cables attached together, with two metal clamps on each end, which are sometimes called alligator clips. The red cable signifies a positive (+) charge, and the black cable signifies a negative (–) charge.
Jumper cables are an essential tool for every motorist to carry. We recommend buying a set of longer jumper cables that measures around 15 to 20 feet, because longer cables can save you a lot of hassle if you need a jump (more on that in a moment).
Obviously, you’ll also need another car with a working battery, unless you have a portable jump box. In addition, there are a few other things that, while not completely necessary, can make the job a little easier:
- Protective gloves: These will save your hands in the event that the battery terminal sparks.
- Prying tool: Allows you to remove battery terminal covers without damaging them.
- Wire brush: Useful for cleaning any excess corrosion off the battery terminals.
Before You Jump
Prior to jump starting a dead car, it’s a good idea to check the battery’s condition.
Pop the hood and inspect your battery for any visible damage. If the battery is swollen on the sides, or leaking fluid, or it’s excessively corroded around the terminals, do not attempt a jump start. Applying an electrical current to a bad battery is dangerous, to say the least. Instead, call roadside assistance and bring your car to your local service center.
Steps to Jump Start a Car
With that out of the way, we’re ready to begin the process.
Position the Cars
The first step is to get the donor car in position so that the batteries are close enough to connect with the jumper cables. This is where having a longer set of cables comes in handy big time. If your car died in an awkward spot, having a longer set of cables will save you the trouble of having to throw it in neutral and push it to a place where another car can get close enough.
Locate the Battery Terminals
Battery placement is a little different in each car, but it should be in a fairly obvious and easy-to-reach spot. The battery will have two metal nubs on top, and these are the terminals. It’s very important that you know the difference between the positive (+) and negative (–) terminals.
Hooking the cables up the wrong way can have a detrimental effect on the battery, and even cause it to overload and blow up. All batteries have a “+” or “–” next to the corresponding terminal, much like a AAA battery you’d use for your TV remote at home.
In modern cars, battery terminals are usually covered by a plastic flap, and having a tool handy to pry it open can be useful. The flap’s color will likely echo to the polarity of the terminal—same as the jumper cables, red for positive (+) and black for negative (–).
Hook The Cables Up
When handling jumper cables, never allow the clamps to touch each other after they’ve been hooked to a battery, as this will result in sparking.
Best practice dictates that there’s a correct order to attach jumper cables:
- Red to dead: Hook up the red positive (+) clamp to the positive (+) terminal of the dead battery.
- Red to donor: Hook the other red positive (+) clamp to the positive (+) terminal of the live battery.
- Black to donor: Hook up the black negative (–) clamp to the negative terminal of the live battery. The black clamp should be the one at the same end as the red clamp attached to the donor.
- Black to metal: Hook up the remaining black negative (–) clamp to a piece of bare metal—like a nut or bracket—on the car with the dead battery.
Many people simply hook the final clamp to the negative (–) terminal of the dead battery. This is not necessarily incorrect. However, it’s often recommended to hook the final clamp to a piece of metal away from the battery, because if the cables aren’t connected properly, it can cause sparking, which can ignite the fumes that are released from some batteries.
Start the Cars
After the cables are hooked up, start the donor car and let it run for a few seconds. Then, say a little prayer and attempt to start the car with the dead battery. If everything went according to plan, congratulations! Your car is now running under its own power.
After the car with the previously dead battery is running, do not turn it off. You need to let it run for at least 10 to 15 minutes to allow the alternator to recharge the battery. Otherwise, you’ll have to repeat the process all over again.
Disconnect the Clamps
To unhook the jumper cables, simply remove them from the terminals in the opposite order that you hooked them up. Then, pat yourself on the back, because you’ve just successfully jump started your car.
Why Won’t My Car Start with a Jump Start?
If jump starting doesn’t work, double check to make sure that all of the clamps have a solid connection to the battery terminals, then try again.
If it still doesn’t work, unfortunately, your battery may be too dead to jump, which will most likely require a whole new battery. You’ll need to either go buy a battery and put it in yourself, or have the car towed to a service center near you to have it replaced.
You may also find that your battery repeatedly keeps dying. If you find that you have to jump start your car repeatedly, then it’s possible the battery is shot. You can bring it into a service center or auto parts store to test the voltage.
Need Battery Replacement Near Joplin, MO? Let Us Help!
Our parts center stocks batteries for Hondas and more, and if we don’t have it, we can order a battery to our lot near Springfield in a jiffy, and install it same day at our service center.
Contact us online or give our parts counter a call at (866) 913-5534, and while you’re at it, be sure to take a look at our service specials to save yourself some cash on auto repair near Carthage.