what color is positive on a car battery

The positive terminal on a car battery is colored red, while the negative terminal is colored black. The red color of the positive terminal is often labeled with a positive or plus sign, and there is usually a red protective cover over the positive battery terminal to prevent accidental shorting. In case the colors become unreliable or fade, car batteries have symbols or letters stamped onto the case next to each battery terminal. The positive terminal is stamped with a ‘plus’ symbol (+) or “POS,” and the negative terminal is stamped with a minus symbol (-) or “NEG” . It is important to connect the positive cable first and then the negative one when jump-starting a car battery, and to never connect the red cable to the negative battery terminal or a vehicle with a dead battery.