Anyone who’s encountered a dead battery knows what a pain they can be. But while they’re definitely an inconvenience for the modern day driver, charging a dead battery isn’t as complicated as one might think. In fact, jump starting your battery is a relatively simple process that need only take a few minutes to get done right. Here’s what to do, step by step, to ensure you’re back on the road and ready to rock in no time.

First, you must know that jumper cables may not solve all of your problems. There are some instances in when jump starts
are ill-advised. If the car you are hooking up to has an electric engine, or is an alternative-fuel vehicle, you could very well caused some damage. Only use vehicles with traditional engines to jump start your vehicle.

You’ll Need:

Jumper cables are an absolute must-have when you need to jump start your battery – go figure! Ranging in length from 10-20 feet, jumper cables will be your saving grace in the midst of a bind. Although longer cables can reach further, they may lose power while the energy makes its way through the extra length. Be sure your cables are in good working condition, free from rust, frays or other damage.

Step 1

Clean off your vehicle’s terminals if they’re dirty, and unplug any devices, such as cell phone chargers, to be safe. Shut off the ignition for both vehicles, and engage both parking brakes.

Step 2

Attach the red cable to the dead battery’s positive terminal, which should read “POS” or “+”. Once you do this, attach the other red cable to the positive terminal of the good battery. Next, attach one of the black cables to this same vehicle’s negative terminal, which should read “NEG” or “-”. To prevent sparking, attach the final black cable to an unpainted metal area under your car’s hood, far from your battery.

Step 3

Start the ignition of the working vehicle, and allow it to run for several minutes. How long you’ll need to do this depends on how dry your battery is. Once your vehicle starts, make sure not to turn it off immediately. Remove the cables in the opposite order that you applied them, and drive around for about 15-30 minutes to ensure your vehicle gets all charged up.

 

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