Few things are as frustrating as turning the key and hearing silence from your car. A dead battery can strike at the most inconvenient times, leaving you stranded and stressed and introducing a concise guide to jump starting your car!
This simple process can save you from the inconvenience of waiting for roadside assistance and get you back on the road swiftly. You can effectively revive a dead battery by following a few essential steps and prioritizing safety.
This guide will cover critical aspects of understanding the correct procedure, ensuring safety precautions, and knowing when to seek professional help. Let’s dive into the process of jump starting a car!
Things You Need To Jumpstart a Car
- Jumper cables
- Another vehicle with a charged battery
8 Steps on How to Jumpstart a Car
1. Park the vehicles
- Position the running vehicle close to, but not touching, the one with the dead battery.
- Ensure both cars are in “Park” or neutral for manual transmissions. Turn off both engines.
2. Identify the terminals
- Identify both batteries’ positive (+) and negative (-) terminals. The positive terminal is usually red, and the negative is black.
- Ensure that the jumper cables are not tangled and are long enough to reach the two vehicles.
3. Connect the jumper cables
- Red to Dead: Connect one end of the red (positive) jumper cable to the dead battery’s positive terminal.
- Red to Donor: Connect the other end of the red (positive) jumper cable to the positive terminal of the good (charged) battery.
- Black to Donor: Connect one end of the black (negative) jumper cable to the negative terminal of the good (charged) battery.
- Black to Metal: Connect the other end of the black (negative) jumper cable to an unpainted metal surface on the engine block of the dead vehicle. This helps minimize the risk of sparks near the battery.
4. Start the working vehicle
- Start with the charged battery and let it run for a few minutes.
5. Attempt to start the dead vehicle
- Try to start the car with the dead battery. If it doesn’t start, wait a few more minutes with the working vehicle running.
6. Start the dead vehicle
- Once the dead vehicle starts, let both cars run for a few minutes to allow the dead battery to charge.
7. Disconnect the jumper cables
- Remove the black (negative) jumper cable from the previously dead vehicle’s engine block and the charged battery’s negative terminal in reverse connection order.
- Remove the red (positive) jumper cable from the positive terminal of the charged battery and the positive terminal of the previously dead vehicle.
8. Test Drive the vehicle
- Take the jump-started vehicle for a short drive to allow the alternator to charge the battery fully.
Why won't my car start after a jump?
- Dead battery: The most likely culprit is a weak or failing battery. Even if it received enough charge to start with the help of another battery, it might not hold enough charge to start the car by itself. If your car is cranking weakly or the lights are dim, it’s a good sign the battery needs replacement.
- Alternator problems: The alternator is responsible for recharging the battery while the car is running. If the alternator is malfunctioning, it won’t replenish the battery’s power after a jump start, leaving you stranded again soon.
- Loose or corroded battery connections: Ensure the battery terminals are clean, free of corrosion, and tightened securely to the battery posts. Loose or dirty connections can hinder the flow of current.
- Other electrical issues: While less common, other electrical problems like a faulty starter motor, ignition switch malfunction, or damaged wiring could prevent the car from starting independently.
What happens if you attach jumper cables in the wrong order?
- Sparks and fire: The biggest risk is creating sparks when the wrong connection is made. This can ignite flammable fluids or gases around the battery, especially hydrogen gas, which is a byproduct of battery operation.
- Damaged electronics: A reversed connection can cause a surge of current that can damage sensitive electronic components in both vehicles. This could include the car’s computer, alternator, or other electrical systems.
- Damaged battery: In severe cases, a wrong connection can overload and damage the battery itself, leading to a permanent failure.
How long should I leave jumper cables on?
- A good rule of thumb is 3-5 minutes, but in very cold weather it may take up to 30 minutes.
What not to do when using jumper cables?
- Incorrect connection order: This is the biggest safety risk. As mentioned before, connecting the cables in the wrong order can cause sparks, fires, and damage to the vehicles’ electrical systems. Always follow the safe order: positive to positive first, then black to ground on the dead car.
- Smoking or having open flames nearby: Battery gases are flammable, and a spark from the cables could ignite them. Keep clear of smoking materials and open flames while jump-starting.
- Touching the cable ends while connected: The cables carry high current and can cause serious injury if touched. Avoid any contact with the clamps or exposed metal parts of the cables while they are connected.
- Jump-starting a frozen battery: Extreme cold can stiffen the battery’s internal components, making it unsafe to jump-start. If your battery is frozen, wait for it to thaw in a warm place before attempting a jump-start.
- Jump-starting a damaged battery: Visible signs of damage like cracks, leaks, or bulging on the battery case indicate a potential safety hazard. Don’t attempt to jump-start a damaged battery and call for professional help instead.
- Using mismatched cables: Jumper cables come in different gauges (thicknesses). Ensure your cables are thick enough to handle the current required by your vehicle’s battery. Always use cables rated for your car’s engine size.
- Forgetting to turn off all electronics: The surge of current during a jump-start can damage electronic devices plugged into the car’s cigarette lighter or USB ports. Turn off all electronics inside both vehicles before connecting the cables.
- Leaving the car unattended while connected: Once the dead car starts, don’t leave it running unattended with the jumper cables still connected. Disconnect the cables following the safe order as soon as possible.
- Jump-starting a car with a different voltage: Most cars have 12-volt batteries. Double-check that the donor car’s battery voltage matches the dead car’s before making any connections. Using a different voltage can fry the electrical systems in both vehicles.
Conclusion
In conclusion, jump starting a car is a valuable skill that can get you out of a tough spot when your battery fails. By following these steps—ensuring safety, using proper jumper cables, making secure connections, allowing time for charging, and driving the vehicle to recharge the battery—you can safely and effectively jump start a car. However, if jump starting doesn’t resolve recurring battery issues, seeking professional assistance to inspect the battery and charging system is advisable.