How to Jump-Start a Car

The unthinkable has happened, and your car won’t start! Then it’s time to learn how to jump-start a car by hooking up to another battery. Luckily, the service center at Green Dodge can walk you through how to jump-start a car battery, so you can get back on the Chatham roads in no time. Learn how to perform jump-start car service yourself, and visit Green Dodge for all of your service needs.

Jump-Start Car Service Step by Step

Before helping you learn how to jump-start a car, you’ll first need to make sure that you have the right materials. You’ll need a set of jumper cables and another vehicle. You can also call a jump-start car service like AAA if you don’t have those materials. Once you have what you need, perform the following:

1. Park the car with the good battery facing the vehicle with the bad battery, and make sure that the vehicle is turned off. Make sure both parking brakes are on.
2. Open the hoods of both vehicles and locate the batteries. The terminals can be exposed by removing the plastic hood.
3. Find the positive and negative terminals, making sure they’re free of any corrosion.
4. Connect the red cable clamp to the positive terminal on the dead battery.
5. Connect the other red cable clamp to the positive terminal of the good battery.
6. Connect the black cable clamp to the negative terminal on the good battery.
7. Connect the final cable clamp to the unpainted metal surface on the frame of the car.
8. Once you have everything hooked up, start the engine of the vehicle with the good battery, and then start the engine of the other car.
9. Once the vehicle with the dead battery has been jump-started, remove the jumper cables in the reverse order that they were put on, and shut off the car with the good battery.
10. Keep the engine running on the restarted vehicle for about 10 minutes to make sure that the battery doesn’t immediately die again.

What If Your Car Won’t Jump-Start?

If you find that your car won’t jump-start, then you may need a new battery. Perform these steps to see if it’s time to replace your battery:

1. Start the car and see if you only hear a clicking sound. If so, then the starter might not be functioning.
2. If the car’s electrical systems turn on, but the engine won’t turn over, then this could be the result of a multitude of issues like the ignition switch, battery, starter, a fuse, or other systems.
3. Keep your vehicle running for a while after it has had a jump-start. This way, you can ensure that the battery comes to a full recharge.

If you find that you need a battery replacement or serious repair, then schedule a visit with our service center at Green Dodge near Rochester and Decatur.

Trust Green Dodge for Your Service Needs

If you have any questions, you can contact us to learn more about how to properly jump start a car, or you can browse our selection of service tips and tricks for additional ways you can keep your vehicle running smoothly. If you think your battery is starting to die, then schedule service today.