How to Jump A Car Battery
One of the toughest experiences for a driver is when the car battery dies: You turn the ignition, the engine makes a sputtering noise, and the car won’t move. The situation isn’t as hopeless as it looks, though.
Whether you’re in your driveway or stranded on the road, another driver can help you with jumper cables. Jumper cables are the most common tools to jump start your car. Read on for information on how to jump a car battery.
Safety Precautions
Jump-starting a car does pose an electric shock risk. Therefore, other passengers, especially children, should keep a safe distance away from the engine. Park the working car facing the dead car, but not touching. For cars with automatic transmissions, put the car in park. If the car has a manual transmission, put it in neutral. Once both cars are parked, the working car’s engine should be turned off and the key removed. Both cars need the parking brakes on. Put the jumper cables on the ground, but keep the clamps from touching one another.
Jumping the Battery
- Open the hood and locate the battery and battery terminal. Know which side is positive, and which side is negative.
- Attach the red positive clamp to the positive terminal of the dead battery.
- Attach the red positive clamp at the other end of the cable to the positive terminal of the working battery.
- Attach the black negative clamp to the negative terminal of the working battery.
Do not attach the other black clamp to the negative terminal of the dead battery. Instead, attach it to an unpainted metal part of the car (e.g., the metal strut that props the hood open). Once the cables are attached, do not touch the metal clasps.- Have the owner of the working car start their engine. Let the engine run for at least two minutes to ensure the jump will work.
- If the dead car doesn’t start, double check that the cables are connected properly. The other driver should run their engine for another five minutes.
- If the dead car does start, disconnect the cables, starting with the black negative clamps. Drive around for at least ten minutes to allow your car battery to charge itself. Don’t turn your engine off until you know your car battery is fully charged.
Your Local Auto Service Center
If your car battery continues to die after the jump start, your car needs to be serviced; the car battery might be too old. Most batteries last four to six years. But if the battery is fine, the problem might be with the battery corrosion, a fuse, or the ignition switch.
If you’re looking for an auto service center, come to Kia of West Chester. We service the towns of West Chester, Philadelphia, Ardmore, Springfield, and Exton, PA, as well as Wilmington, DE. Our highly-qualified technicians will fix any repairs and replace your car battery if needed. If you have an emergency situation, we will help you as soon as possible.
We realize a dead car battery can be an understandably difficult situation. We hope you found our guide on how to jump a car battery informative. If you have any questions, call us, fill out a contact form, or come visit us at Kia of West Chester today.
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