Battery Dead? Jump-Start that Car
It never fails. Whenever you’re late for work or some other important obligation, something goes awry to make you even later. On this particular morning, your car battery is dead. But, do you know how to jump-start it? Jump-starting a battery is not a particularly difficult task. But, it does intimidate most people. If you don’t know how to jump-start a car battery, here’s how.
These instructions should be followed to a T. First, park another car up to your vehicle. They should be nose to nose, as close possible without actually touching. Then, be sure that the ignition is off on both cars. Apply the parking brakes in both vehicles. If you notice any battery corrosion on either vehicle, scrub it off first with a wire brush and rinse with water. To avoid any contact with the corrosion, wear gloves to ensure that it doesn’t get on your bare hands.
Now, on to the actual “jumping” of the vehicle. You’ll want to connect the red cable first. This is your positive end. Connect both red cables to the “POS” or “+” of each car battery. NEVER touch the black and red cables together. This can cause a spark, and potential injury. You ALWAYS want to connect black-to-black and red-to-red. If not connected properly, it could cause an explosion.
Next, connect your black cable to the “NEG” or “-“ on the live car. Connect the other end to a grounding point on the dead car’s frame. Look for a bolt or a metal part that is unpainted on the frame. Before starting the engines, make sure that the cables are clear from any belts. The last thing you want at this point is for the cables to get tangled up in a belt.
Start up the live car first and rev the engine a little. After about 5 minutes of this, try to start the ignition on the dead car. If it doesn’t start up right away, turn off the ignition on the live car, adjust the red cables on both batteries and try again. If the car starts up, leave the engine running for at least 30 minutes to ensure a full charge. Carefully remove the black cables first, and then the red from each battery.
Now, you’ll always know how to jump-start a car. Just remember to carry jumper cables!
If you’re still having trouble jump-starting your car, you may have a more serious issue. Bring your vehicle into Courthouse Automotive for a diagnostic.