To jumpstart a car with jumper cables, follow these key steps:
- Park the working vehicle close to the car with the dead battery, ensuring they are near but not touching. Turn off both engines and open the hoods.
- Locate the batteries and identify the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals on both cars. The positive terminal often has a red cover or marking.
- Connect the jumper cables in this order:
- Attach one red clamp to the positive terminal of the dead battery.
- Attach the other red clamp to the positive terminal of the good battery.
- Attach one black clamp to the negative terminal of the good battery.
- Attach the other black clamp to a bare, unpainted metal part on the engine block or chassis of the dead car (not the negative terminal).
- Start the working car's engine and let it run for a few minutes to charge the dead battery.
- Attempt to start the dead car. If it doesn’t start, wait a few more minutes and try again.
- Once the dead car starts, carefully remove the cables in reverse order:
- Black clamp from the metal ground on the dead car
- Black clamp from the good battery's negative terminal
- Red clamp from the good battery's positive terminal
- Red clamp from the dead battery's positive terminal
- Keep the jump-started car running for a while to recharge the battery fully.
Safety tips: Do not let clamps touch each other or any metal parts while connecting. Avoid connecting the black clamp directly to the dead battery's negative terminal to prevent sparks. Consult the vehicle’s manual if the battery is inside the trunk or has special jump-start terminals.
