How to Jump-Start a Car Yourself

You never know when you might need to jump-start a car battery in Lawrenceville. Whether you leave your interior lights on in a hurry or you encounter another driver who needs some assistance, knowing how to jump-start a car is valuable for every car owner. The good news is that learning how to properly jump-start a car is much easier than you might think! As always, you can count on the service team at Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Duluth for trusted information. Read on to learn more, so the next time you or someone else needs to jump-start a car battery, you can be ready to spring into action.

What is the Proper Way to Jump-Start a Car? 

If you find yourself stranded in a parking lot in Suwanee, you can always contact a jump-start car service to assist you. However, you’ll need to pay for the service and once you learn how easy it is to jump-start the battery yourself, you might not want to! 

Jump-starting a dead car battery requires the help of a working battery, so you will need to call up a friend or family member to meet you. If you feel comfortable, you can also approach a nearby driver to help you out — many have been in your position before and will probably be happy to help. When you’re ready, here is the proper way to jump-start a car:

1. The car with a good battery should be parked so that it’s hood-to-hood with the dead vehicle. Engage the parking brakes in both vehicles as a safety measure. 
2. Pop both hoods and find the batteries. Some cars have a plastic hood covering the battery that may need to be removed to access the battery terminals.
3. Locate the positive and negative battery terminals. Do a visual inspection to ensure they’re free of corrosion. 
4. Carefully, separate the red ends of your jumper cables from the black ends. The ends should never touch because the contact can create sparks. Connect the red clamp to the positive post on the dead battery.
5. Place the other red clamp to the positive terminal of the good battery.
6. Place the black clamp on the negative post of the good battery.
7. The final black clamp should be clamped onto a grounded, unpainted metal surface on the dead vehicle’s frame.
8. Once you have the battery cables properly hooked up, start the engine of the car with the working battery. If you have time, it helps to let the working car’s engine run for a bit before attempting to start the engine on the car with the dead battery.
9. After successfully jump-starting the dead vehicle, you can start removing the jumper cables in the reverse order in which they were connected.
10. Before driving away, the car that was jump-started should be allowed to idle with the engine running for 10 minutes to ensure the battery stays charged. Note that the owner’s manual may recommend a different length of time.
11. Follow up with a service center soon after you jump-start your car battery. They should perform an inspection to check if there are underlying issues or if you need a battery replacement.

Car Won’t Jump-Start? Check These Tips!

If your car won’t jump-start, it may not be a dead battery that’s causing the problem:

1. Hear a clicking sound when you try to start the car? This is often a sign of a faulty starter. 
2. If you can operate the electrical systems but the engine won’t turn over, there are several possible issues including the ignition switch, starter, or even a simple fuse. You should have your car inspected by a professional technician as soon as possible.
3. Did you allow the car to run for a while before driving away? This is important because it gives the battery time to recharge. If a battery is still relatively new, it should be able to hold a charge even after being jumped. Older batteries may give you more trouble due to their age and wear; an older battery dying could be the sign that it’s time for a replacement.
4. If your vehicle sits unused a lot of the time, the battery could eventually die. A battery trickle charger can help prevent this.

Learn More About Car Care with Us!

Looking for battery service near Johns Creek? Schedule an appointment at Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Duluth! We’ll get to the bottom of your car’s battery problems. If you have other questions before visiting, like how much a new battery costs, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.