How to Jump-Start a Car

What happens when your new or pre-owned car won’t jump start? This can be a disorienting and stressful situation if you find yourself stranded in the middle of St Louis without the proper knowledge on how to jump-start car batteries, but it does not have to be! We strive to provide you with as many answers to the question “how to properly jump-start a car” as possible, and also hope to provide you with step-by-step instructions.

Learn the process of jump-starting a car battery, or be sure to contact Suntrup Nissan for jump-start car service or more details on the proper way to jump-start a car!

The Proper Way to Jump-Start a Car

Wondering how to properly jump-start a car? It can save a lot of time and money knowing how to jump-start a car battery yourself, instead of going for jump-start car services. You will need another person and another vehicle, as well as a set of jumper cables. Once you have access to all of these resources, be sure to get in touch with a stranger or friend to help you. If you are on your own, you may need to call a jump-start car service. Otherwise, it’s easy to learn how to properly jump-start a car:

1. 1. Face the two vehicles with the batteries facing each other. Most vehicles have batteries in the hood, but some vehicles have batteries in the trunk. After you’ve parked the vehicle, turn them off and set the parking brake.
   2. Gain access to the batteries. (note: you may need to remove a plastic hood to expose the battery terminals.)
   3. Find the positive and negative battery terminals. Make sure they are free of dirt and corrosion.
   4. Take your cable, and separate the red from the black ends. Avoid having the black and red ends from touching as they could spark. Connect the red clamp to the positive post of the dead battery.
   5. Uncoiling the battery cable, hook the other red clamp to the positive terminal of the battery with the charge.
   6. Connect the black clamp to the negative post on the good battery. 
   7. Connect the last black clamp to a grounded, unpainted metal surface on your car’s frame.
   8. Once everything is securely connected, be sure to start the engine of the vehicle with the good battery. It is a good idea to let the car with a good battery run for a bit on the working car, then try starting the engine of the dead battery vehicle.
   9. Once the dead vehicle has been successfully jump-started, carefully remove the jumper cables in the reverse order that they were placed on. 
   10. Be sure to keep the engine running on the restarted vehicle for at least 10 minutes to ensure that the weak battery doesn’t die again right away.
   11. Consult your owner’s manual for vehicle-specific instructions. It is recommended that you get your battery tested or replaced at a service center.

Turn to Suntrup Nissan for More DIY Car Care Tips

Now that you know what to do when your car won’t jump start, be sure to browse our service and maintenance tips for more information.