How to Jump Start a Car

How to Jump Start a Car
Oil Change Frequency Contact Us

You probably need to jump start your car battery if your used vehicle won’t start. Not sure how to jump start a car? Rolls Auto Sales near South Jersey can help! Follow Rolls Auto Sales’ guide on how to properly jump start a car, so you’ll know what to do if your battery dies while you’re on the road. If you know your car battery is almost dead, take action; schedule service at a shop you trust. Read on to learn more jump starting a car battery below!

What’s the Proper Way to Jump Start a Car?

For starters, you’ll need a set of jumper cables and another car. If you have AAA, you can also call them and request jump start car service (or towing service if the battery is completely dead). Once you have the cables and assisting car, take the following steps:

  • Park the car with the good battery in front of your car; make sure the cars are facing each other, turned off, and have their parking brakes engaged.
  • Open the hoods of both cars and locate the batteries. Removing a plastic hood may be necessary to expose the battery terminals.
  • Locate the positive and negative terminals. Clean off any dirt, debris, or corrosion.
  • Take the red clamp and connect it to the positive post on the dead battery.
  • After you’ve uncoiled the battery cable, attach the other red clamp to the positive terminal of the charged battery.
  • Take the black clamp and connect it to the negative post on the good battery.
  • Connect the final clamp to an unpainted metal surface on the car’s frame.
  • Once the positive and negative cables are connected, start the assisting vehicle’s engine, then start the car with the dead battery.
  • After you’ve successfully jump-started the dead battery, unhook the jumper cables in the reverse order in which they were attached. Then, turn off the car that was used to jump-start the dead car.
  • Keep the engine running for about 10 minutes to prevent the battery from dying again.

What Do if Your Car Won’t Jump Start

Can’t seem to jump start your car? It’s probably a bad battery or a sign of something more serious. Take the following steps to get to the bottom of the issue:

  • Do you hear a clicking sound when you try to start the car? The starter might be malfunctioning.
  • If the electrical systems of the car are operating just fine, but the engine won’t start, a number of issues could be to blame. The ignition switch, battery, starter, or a fuse could be the cause.
  • Don’t forget to let your car run for a while after it’s been jump-started. This gives the battery time to fully recharge (assuming it’s working properly) and prevents the need for another jump.

Get More Service Tips from Rolls Auto Sales!

Whether you’re looking for tips on how to jump start a car or suggestions for how to clean leather seats or how often to change your oil or rotate your tires, our team can help. Contact us at Rolls Auto Sales or visit us near Reading and Allentown. We can provide more information on the benefits of using genuine parts, such as a car battery, for your used Ford, Toyota, Chevy, or a vehicle of any make!