While modern cars have many safeguards to prevent your battery from dying prematurely, there are times when your car won’t start. If this happens, you have a few options. You could call a jump-start car service, or, with the help of another car, you can jump-start your car battery to get you back on the road quickly. Not sure how to properly jump-start a car? Learn the correct way to jump-start a car in this guide from the service team at Dale Earnhardt Jr Buick GMC in Tallahassee! Contact us with any service questions.
The Proper Way To Jump-Start A Car
While you can call a jump-start car service near Thomasville, GA if the steps listed below do not work, it’s always a good idea to try to jump-start a car battery yourself, as it’s not a complex process. You will, however, need another person and another vehicle for this, as well as a set of jumper cables. If you don’t feel comfortable recruiting a stranger to help you and you’re in a new area alone, you may wish to just call a jump-start car service. Otherwise, it’s easy to learn how to jump-start a car:
- Face the two vehicles with the batteries facing each other. Most vehicle batteries are located in the engine compartment, meaning they’ll usually face hood-hood. Some foreign cars, though, have the battery in the trunk. After you’ve parked the vehicles, turn them off and set the parking brakes.
- Gain access to the batteries. Note: You may need to remove a plastic hood to expose the battery terminals.
- Find the positive and negative battery terminals. Make sure they are clean and free of any corrosion or dirt.
- Take stock of your cables and separate the red ends from the black ends. You don’t want them to touch, ever, as they could spark. Next, connect the red clamp to the positive post on the dead battery.
- Uncoiling the battery cable, hook the other red clamp to the positive terminal of the battery with the charge.
- Connect the black clamp to the negative post on the good battery.
- Connect the last black clamp to a grounded, unpainted metal surface on your car’s frame.
- Hook up the cables securely, then start the vehicle’s engine using the good battery. You may try to start the engine right away, but it’s probably a good idea to let the car with the good battery run for a bit, then try starting the engine of the other vehicle.
- Once the dead vehicle has been successfully jump-started, carefully remove the jumper cables in reverse order of how they were placed, and keep the other vehicle running.
- 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. Consult your owner’s manual for more info on recommended times. It’s also recommended that you get your battery tested and/or replaced ASAP.
Additional Car Battery Tips & Tricks
There are plenty of reasons aside from a dead car battery why your vehicle may not be starting. Here are just a few worth noting:
- If you try to start the car but only hear a clicking sound, the starter might not be functioning.
- If the car’s electrical systems turn on but the engine fails to start, the issue may stem from several components, including the ignition switch, starter, or a simple fuse. It’s worth bringing your vehicle to a qualified service center for further diagnostics and investigation.
- Don’t forget to keep your vehicle running for a while after it’s received a jump, which allows the battery to recharge after being completely drained. Note that some batteries still can hold a charge for some time after being jumped; usually, this is the case after a vehicle with a good/newer battery has been sitting idle. A remedy to prevent this is to use a battery trickle charger. Sometimes, though, an old and worn-out battery that requires replacing is the reason for a car needing a jump.
Turn To Dale Earnhardt Jr Buick GMC For More Car Care Tips
Now that you know the proper way to jump-start a car, you’re better prepared for any roadside issues you encounter near Crawfordville or Panama City. In some extreme instances, a bad battery won’t jump-start, and you will need to call a jump-start car service. Count on our team for all your vehicle service, including battery and tire replacements, oil changes, routine maintenance, and more in-depth repairs. Be sure to check out our parts and service tips. Schedule your next service online today.
