How to Jump Start a Car Battery
Stranded with a dead battery? Don’t panic—our step-by-step guide will get you moving again safely and quickly.
Dead Battery? No Problem.
Don’t let a dead car battery ruin your day. Learn the fast, safe way to jump-start your vehicle and get back on the road in minutes. Watch the quick video below to see the full process in action.
What You’ll Need
- Jumper cables (or a jump starter pack)
- Another vehicle with a working battery (if using cables)
- Gloves and safety glasses (recommended)
Safety Tips
- Never let clamps touch once connected.
- Don’t lean over the battery while jump-starting.
- If the battery is cracked, leaking, or smells like rotten eggs, do not attempt a jump. It's time to replace it.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Park Safely: Position the working vehicle so the batteries can be connected—but don’t let the vehicles touch.
- Turn Everything Off: Both vehicles should be off—ignitions, headlights, radios, and accessories.
- Attach Jumper Cables:
- Red clamp to dead battery's positive (+)
- Red clamp to good battery's positive (+)
- Black clamp to good battery's negative (–)
- Black clamp to unpainted metal on dead vehicle (not battery)
- Start the Engine: Start the vehicle with the good battery and let it run for a few minutes.
- Try Starting the Dead Car: Wait a bit if it doesn’t start. If it still won’t start, the battery may be fully discharged or damaged.
- Remove Cables in Reverse Order:
- Black from dead car’s ground
- Black from good battery
- Red from good battery
- Red from dead battery
- Let It Run: Once the car is jump started it the battery needs to be brought to a full charge using an external charger. Simply driving your vehicle or letting it idle will not birng the battery back to a full charge and risk the battery dying again.
Clarios creates the most advanced battery technologies for virtually every type of vehicle. We are a global leader in energy storage solutions, powering one in three of the world’s vehicles. We partner with our customers to develop smarter solutions that make people’s lives better.