How To Jump Start a Car

Even is you are fortunate enough to never experience your car having a dead battery, learning how to jump start a car is a vital skill for every driver. You may not only help yourself in a pinch, but you can assist another driver when they run into bad luck.

Every car should always have a set of reliable jumper cables kept in the trunk or storage space. Typically, a good set of jumper cables can be found for less than $30 at your local auto parts store.

Before we begin, we must stress to always use cation. When using jumper cables, you should not allow the metal clamps on the end to come in contact with each other while the cables are in use. If they do touch together, it can result in an electrical shock.

How to jump start a vehicle safely

1. Find a vehicle that has a good working battery. Usually when a car needs to be jumped, you can ask other drivers nearby and most are willing to assist in jump starting another car.

2. Position the working vehicle so that the engine compartment where the battery is located is aligned within a few feet of the battery that needs jumping. You need it close enough for the cables to connect with enough room to walk between both cars.

3. Ensure that both vehicles have their keys turned completely off before you attach the jumper cables to the batteries.

4. Open the hood of each vehicle.

5. Put the red cable clamp on the positive end of the working battery.

6. Put the other end of the red clamp on the positive end of the dead battery.

7. Go back to the vehicle with the working battery and place the black cable clamp on the negative end of the battery.

8. Put the black cable clamp on a grounded area of the car with the dead battery. This would be any metal part of the car’s frame.

9. Then turn on the engine of the car with the working battery and let it idle for 2-3 minutes. This lets the dead battery recharge before your start the engine.

10. Now try and start the engine of the dead battery. After it starts, allow both cars to run for 2-3 minutes to give the battery time to charge.

11. Take off the jumper cables after a few minutes in this order:  take off the black cable from the grounded area of your car, take off the black clamp off the negative end of the working battery, take off the red clamp from the car that had the dead battery, and lastly take off the red clamp from the working battery.

12. Put your jumper cables back in the trunk or storage area of your vehicle. Be sure to thank the driver of the car that had the working battery.

Depending on the condition of your battery, you might need to drive directly to your local auto parts store to buy a new battery for your car.

• Help improve lives and donate your vehicle today.

• We accept vehicles even if they no longer are running, as long as they have a title.

• There is no cost to you, simply call us at 800.488.CARS (2277) or complete our online form.

• Then schedule a pick up time that fits your schedule. You can make a difference in the lives of millions with kidney disease.