How to Jump a Car

Need to know how jump a car? Following this guide to get you back on the road!

Step 1: Check Important Factors

Before you even begin to consider the idea of trying to jump a car, there are specific factors you need to take into account. Make sure to check whether it’s safe to try and jump a car under your specific circumstances. This includes ensuring that the battery isn’t leaking or damaged, and also making sure that you’re not standing in water or in an unsafe environment to conduct electricity.

Step 2: Ready The Cars

Next, both vehicles should be readied for the process. They should be positioned so the jumper cables can reach, but otherwise turned off completely. Park them nose to nose or side-by-side depending on your cable length. Also, double-check both cars have their parking brakes engaged for safety.

Step 3: Identify the Batteries and Terminals

Before starting the jumping process, every car driver needs to identify the negative and positive terminals on both car batteries – usually marked with a plus and minus sign respectively. Remember, connecting the wrong terminals can lead to severe damage so always double-check before proceeding.

Step 4: Connect the Jumper Cables

Firstly, connect one end of the red/yellow positive (+) jumper cable to the positive terminal of the battery in the dead car. The other end of the positive cable then goes to the good battery’s positive terminal in the functioning vehicle. Next, link one end of the black negative (-) jumper cable to the good battery’s negative terminal.

Step 5: Ground the Last Clamp

The grounding process involves fastening the other end of the black negative cable to a non-painted, metallic part of the dead car’s engine. This grounded spot could be a clean bolt or bracket that’s away from movable parts and the battery.

Step 6: Start the Jump-Start Process

At this point, you can start the functioning vehicle and let it idle for a few minutes. This running of the functional car may charge the dead battery enough to allow it to restart.

Step 7: Start the Dead Car

After waiting for a little while, start the car with the dead battery. If the car doesn’t start, wait for another few minutes and try again. If the car continues to fail to start, there may be a more significant issue at play rather than a dead battery.

Step 8: Safely Disconnecting the Cables

Once the dead car is running again, you can disconnect the jumper cables, starting with the black negative cables, followed by the positive. Remember to let your car run for a bit to ensure it doesn’t die once again immediately.

While jump-starting a car by yourself isn’t complicated, if you’re feeling unsure at any point during the process, having a professional handle it is normally the safer choice. If you run into issues while attempting to jump a car, please do not hesitate to contact us today or to schedule a service appointment for a comprehensive checkup. Notably, our knowledgeable mechanics at Rob Green Hyundai are equipped to help you safely resolve your vehicle start-up issue.

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