Helpful Hints: How to Jump Start a Vehicle

Eventually it happens to all of us  – getting in your car, turning the key, and the car won’t start. Whether it’s something as simple as leaving your lights on all night or maybe you have an old battery that needs replaced,  you will need to be prepared and know how to jump start a vehicle.  From having jumper cables in your car, to know who to call for assistance, here are some tips on how to jump start a vehicle.

                                This post is sponsored by Martin Chrysler.

Before you head out, make sure that you have jumper cables in your emergency road kit. That way you will have them if you need them! So if someone stops to offer a hand, you already have the cables ready to be used! Now here’s the steps you need to take:

• Park the two vehicles close together – but make sure they are NOT touching – and then turn them both off
• Connect the positive jumper cable (usually the red one) to the positive terminal on the cars battery that won’t start. The positive battery terminal is marked with a plus sign, and the negative is marked with the minus sign. Be very careful not to touch either of them to any other metal or it could be deadly (electric shock)
• Connect the other end of the positive cable to the positive battery terminal on the car that is providing the jump
• Connect the negative cable (the black one) to the negative cable on the car providing the jump
• Connect the other end of the negative cable to an exposed metal part on the car with the dead battery
• Check that the cables are not anywhere near any moving engine parts
• Start the vehicle that is giving the jump – and let it idle. If the battery is a few years old, or has been dead for awhile, you may need to rev the engine to booster the car to speed up the charging process
• Start the ‘dead’ vehicle
• If the ‘dead’ car starts, let it run for at least twenty minutes; if it doesn’t start, check the cable connections to make sure that they are on correctly (and tightly)
• Keeping the jumper cables away again, from ANY metal, remove the black (negative) cable from the disabled vehicle (still keep the vehicle running)
• Remove the other end of the negative cable from the battery of the vehicle giving the jump
• Remove the positive cable from the battery of the jumper vehicle
• Remove the positive cable from the previously disabled vehicle
• Drive the jump started car at least for 30 minutes to keep the battery charging. Remember if the battery or alternator are not in good shape you may end up needing another jump start – be sure if this happens, you pull over somewhere safe and call for assistance!

If you don’t feel comfortable, be sure to call a professional service department.