How to Jump Start Your Car, by Cars.com on YouTube. 1 min 39 s.
- Video length
- 1 min 39 s
- Time to do it
- 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Park the assisting car close enough for the cables to reach but so the two cars never touch. Both engines should be off and both parking brakes set.
Open both hoods and find the battery terminals. Look for the plus and minus markings so you know positive from negative on each car.
Clamp one end of the red cable to the positive terminal of the dead battery. Clamp the other red end to the positive terminal of the good battery.
Clamp one end of the black cable to the negative terminal of the good battery. Clamp the other black end to a bare metal bolt or bracket on the dead car's engine, away from the battery.
Start the assisting car and let it run for a minute. Then try to start the car with the dead battery.
Once the dead car runs, remove the black cable from the metal ground point first, then from the good battery. Remove the red cable from the good battery, then from the dead car.
Keep the revived engine running and drive for at least 20 to 30 minutes so the alternator can recharge the battery.
If the car still will not start, check that the clamps bite clean metal and are not loose. A battery that keeps dying points to a bad battery, alternator or connection, so get it tested.
Tips and common mistakes
Never let the red and black clamps touch each other while any cable is connected, as this causes a dangerous spark.
Do not lean over the battery while connecting cables, and keep your face and hands clear of it.
Connect the final black clamp to bare engine metal, not the negative battery post, to reduce spark risk near battery gas.
Cold weather cuts battery capacity, so a battery that struggles in winter is often close to failing.
Questions
Can I jump start a car with a dead battery using just one car?
No. You need a second vehicle with a charged battery or a portable jump starter pack. A single car cannot supply the current on its own.
Why does the last black clamp go on bare metal instead of the battery?
It gives the spark a path away from the battery, which can give off flammable gas. Any solid metal bracket on the engine works.
How long should I drive after a jump start?
Drive for at least 20 to 30 minutes at normal speed. Short trips may not recharge the battery enough, so a longer drive or a charger is safer.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
