How to Jump Start a Car
How to Jump-Start a Car in Elmhurst, IL
It’s a bad start to your morning when you slide in your seat, turn the key and nothing happens. Whether it's from the weather playing tricks on your engine or you left an overhead light burning in the cabin, a dead battery is a frustrating experience that could land you in a tough spot. But if you have jumper cables, a friend (or stranger) with a car and some trusty know-how, jump-starting your vehicle is simple. Here’s a little refresher for the old timers — or a quick introduction for new drivers — on how to jump-start a dead battery on your car:
Before Jump-Starting, Double Check:
- Your battery. Ensure that it’s not leaking, damaged, frozen or corroded. If you suspect that it’s not safe to jump-start your car, call a professional.
- For metal objects and open flames. Those include cigarettes, watches, phones, (the wrench you used to bang the engine into submission) etc. You want the spark to be inside the engine, not outside.
- Your key. Remove it from the ignition and put it in a safe (and memorable) place.
- Your owner’s manual. Find the section that explains how to jump-start your specific battery before you begin.
- The battery voltage. Both cars need to have a battery with the same voltage — most are 12 volts, but you never want to pair a 6-volt with a 12-volt battery.
When Jump-Starting, Follow These Tips:
- Get both cars ready. Place each car in park or neutral, turn them off, pull the parking brake and pop the hood. The cars should not be touching.
- Your jumper cables have 4 sets of clips, or alligator clips. Red is positive and black is negative. Here’s the correct order for your jumper cables:
- RED to DEAD: Connect the red clip to the positive terminal on your dead battery.
- RED to DONOR: Connect the red clip to the positive terminal on the donor vehicle’s working battery.
- BLACK to DONOR: Same car! Connect the black clip to the negative terminal on the donor vehicle’s working battery.
- BLACK to METAL: Back to the dead battery. Connect the black clip to an unpainted metal part of the dead car (like a bolt or bracket) that is not directly next to the battery.
- Start the engine of the working car and let it run 1-2 minutes.
- Start the car with the dead battery and allow it to run 1-2 minutes so it can recharge.
- Remove the cables in reverse order and start driving your resurrected vehicle for 30 minutes so that it can recover for next time.
If your car battery is frequently dying, it might be time for a new one. Give our service technicians a call or visit our online order form to schedule a service appointment and order your parts. Let us take care of your vehicle’s regular maintenance and repair!
If you’d rather have one of our handy technicians give your vehicle an inspection before you jump-start your car, give us a call and we can figure out a solution. Or, once you’re ready for a service appointment, stop by our dealership at 300 W. Grand Avenue, Elmhurst, IL 60126. We look forward to serving our customers from Addison, Chicago and Villa Park.