How to Jump Start a Car Battery

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

1. Park Safely: Position the working vehicle so the batteries can be connected—but don’t let the vehicles touch.
2. Turn Everything Off: Both vehicles should be off—ignitions, headlights, radios, and accessories.
3. 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)
   
4. Start the Engine: Start the vehicle with the good battery and let it run for a few minutes.
5. 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.
6. Remove Cables in Reverse Order:
   • Black from dead car’s ground
   • Black from good battery
   • Red from good battery
   • Red from dead battery
   
7. 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.

Need a New Battery?

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