Over the years in the towing business we’ve learned that when a car fails to start, typically it’s the battery that’s the issue. If so, a jump start is your first option to get yourself back on the road again.
In order to do that, you need another vehicle or a jumpstarter. Most towing and roadside assistance service providers can do this for you but in case you want to do it on your own, you should do it the right way.
Here are the relevant pieces of information you should first know.
How To Jump Start A Car
Before you attempt to jumpstart the car, you should make sure you have the right tools. If you came prepared, then you might already have jumper cables ready for use in your car. If you don’t then you should purchase high-quality ones and always keep them in your car in case you need them.
There are many jumpstart cables available and proper selection is very important. They are usually available in different lengths ranging from 10-20 feet. It is common for people to think that longer cables are better because they are less limiting. However, they also have a higher risk of losing power. That’s because the energy needs to travel longer. Jumper cables also come with gauges. The gauge will reflect the strength of the cables. The lower the gauge, the thicker and stronger the cables are.
Note On Safety: Before even attempting to jumpstart a vehicle, safety should be your number one priority. That being said, the first thing you should do is to keep all people away from the engine. Make sure kids are nowhere near because they may accidentally hold it and get shocked. Also, make sure you read the manual of your vehicle because there are some models that require an extra step in order to successfully jumpstart the vehicle. Additionally, protective gear for the eyes or even gloves should be worn to properly protect yourself.
Jump Start Procedure
Step 1: Make sure vehicles are parked next to or near each other. Park the working car facing the vehicle with the dead battery and make sure that you are a few inches away from each other. Make sure that cars are not touching each other. Automatic transmission vehicles should be set to park while manual transmission vehicles should be set to neutral. The parking brakes should also be activated.
Step 2: Turn off both cars. Remove the keys to avoid accidentally switching it on or accidentally forgetting to turn it off. Then prepare the jumper cables and place them on the ground without touching each other.
Step 3: Open the hood of the two vehicles. Make an assessment and identify the battery of the car. Look at the terminals and know which is the positive and negative terminal. Make sure you differentiate these two very well. In case the battery terminal is dusty or rusted, you may wipe it off with a rag or clean it first with a wire brush.
Step 4: Get the red clamp and attach the clamp to the positive terminal of the dead battery. Make sure it is properly and securely connected. You may wiggle it a bit to make sure it is connected properly.
Step 5: Use the other end of the cable to attach the red clamp to the positive terminal of the battery from the working vehicle.
Step 6: Use the black clamp to attach to the negative terminal of the working battery.
Step 7: Use the other end of the cable and attach it to a bolt that’s found the engine. You may also attach it to any metal part of the car that is unpainted, shiny and clean.
Step 8: Start the engine on the working vehicle. Let the car run for a minute or more. This gives time so that the dead battery takes the charge.
Step 9: Start the engine on the dead car. The car should successfully start now. If it still doesn’t you may wait for a few minutes before trying to start again.
Step 10: Disconnect the jumper cables. Always start with those with the black clamps first. You are going to remove the clamps in reverse order on how you attached them. While the other end of the cable is still attached to the terminal of the battery, make sure the clamps don’t touch each other.
Step 11: Drive the car to charge it. When you drive the car even for a short distance, the alternator recharges the battery and makes sure it doesn’t die again when turned off.
Final Words:
While jumpstarting a vehicle seems easy and simple to do, it can be quite dangerous. The steps stated here should be followed to ensure the safety of the drivers and passengers as well. Following the steps will also help ensure that you successfully jumpstart your vehicle. Remember that this procedure needs another car to work and quality jumper cables. If you don’t have them available, then it is best to call professionals for the jump start service. Also don’t forget to read our post on “Extending The Life Of Your Car Battery” to lessen the risk of needing a jumpstart service.
