How To Jumpstart Your Car Battery: A Step-by-Step Guide. If your car doesn’t start when you turn the ignition, you’re likely dealing with a dead battery. A dead car battery can be a significant inconvenience, and you might even be tempted to call for roadside assistance.
But here’s the real deal — with the right equipment and enough knowledge, you can fix this problem by yourself and return to the road in just a few minutes. It happens to almost everyone, so it’s best to prepare with these easy steps on how to jumpstart a dead battery in your car:
Before jumpstarting your car battery, keep these safety tips in mind:
A booster car is a vehicle with a full, working battery that will be used to jumpstart your car’s battery. Both vehicles must have a storm with the same voltage. Park the booster car right next to your car or facing its front bumper. The vehicles should not be touching each other.
Ideally, the two engines should be within two feet of one another so the jumper cables can reach the batteries and there’s enough space to move between cars.
Put both cars in “park” or “neutral” and turn off the ignition and all other car accessories like the lights and radio. Engage the emergency parking brakes as well.
Open each car’s hood and ensure they are safely propped up. Locate the batteries and battery terminals. If you need clarification about the location, check the owner’s manual.
Your car battery has two terminals: positive (+) and negative (-). This distinction is crucial if you want your jumpstart to be successful.
A red cap often indicates the positive terminal. It may also have either “POS” or “+” written on it and is generally more significant than the negative terminal. Make sure both terminals are clean and free from corrosion. If you see any dirt, wipe it with a cloth or brush, not your hand.
Your jumper cables have four sets of clamps: two red and two black. Red clamps connect to positive terminals, while black ones connect to negative terminals.
The order of attachment should be as follows:
You can always double-check that the connections are in the right place before moving to the next step.
Start the car’s engine and let it run for around 2-3 minutes to transfer the charge to your car’s battery.
Start your car’s engine and let it run for a few minutes to allow your car’s battery to recharge. If the engine doesn’t start immediately, give it a few more minutes and try again.
Carefully disconnect the jumper cables in reverse order from when you attached them — starting with the black clamps on the grounded surface and ending with the red clamp on your car’s positive terminal.
Please keep the clamps from touching each other while any part is still attached to either car.
After your car starts again, take a short drive — preferably around 30 minutes long — to allow your battery to continue recharging and to lessen the chances of your battery dying out again.