How to Jump-Start a Car

You’re at work in Indiana and it’s 5 p.m. You’re ready to head home to Johnstown, but your car won’t start after you hit the ignition. You try several times, but it’s no use. Somehow, the battery drained, and you might need roadside assistance or a jump-start car service if you can’t get in touch with a friend or family member.

Read our guide on how to jump-start a car, something you’ll need to know in a pinch just in case. You don’t want to be stranded! You can also check your owner’s manual for instructions. This is fairly simple once you learn the basic steps on the proper way to jump-start a car.

What You Need to Jump-Start a Car Battery

You need two basic things to jump-start a car battery. Without either of these things, you might need to contact a jump-start car service:

1. Sturdy jumper cables at least 10 feet long
2. A second battery to supply power to the dead battery

You can purchase the right jumper cables from an auto parts store in Greensburg or surrounding areas. The second battery can come from another vehicle with a working battery or a portable battery jumper for your car. The portable battery jumper is also available from auto parts stores. Again, you can’t jump-start a car battery without these two things.

Another option is to use a jump-start car service, typically through a towing service or a service center that offers mobile services. This is a great thing to have handy in a pinch if there is no family member to help you.

How to Jump-Start a Car Step-by-Step

Now, we’ll go over how to jump-start a car in some easy steps. There are some things to watch out for when you learn the proper way to jump-start a car on the Murrysville road:

1. Have the working vehicle with a strong battery face the front of your vehicle or get as close to the engine compartment as possible. This is where long jumper cables come in handy.
2. Turn off both vehicles completely.
3. Set the parking brake on both vehicles.
4. Raise the hood on both vehicles.
5. Locate the batteries under the hood.
6. Find the positive (red) and negative (black) battery terminals in both engine compartments. The jumper cables will match these battery terminals with color coding.
7. Get out the jumper cables.
8. Separate the red and black ends.
9. Keep the ends of the jumper cables separate. If they touch, they could cause a short circuit.
10. Connect one red clamp to the red post on the dead battery.
11. Clip the other red clamp to the red terminal on the working battery.
12. Connect the black clamp to the negative post on the good battery.
13. Connect the last black clamp to a grounded, unpainted metal surface on your car’s frame. A metal bar that keeps the engine in place would also work.
14. PRO TIP on the proper way to jump-start a car: You must connect the clamps in this order. Otherwise, this won’t work.
15. Don’t touch the clamps or the terminals once the electrical connections are made. You could cause a spark or even drain the good battery.
16. Start the engine of the vehicle with a good battery.
17. Let the car with a good battery run for a bit to make sure it has plenty of charge.
18. PRO TIP on the proper way to jump-start a car: Gradually press the accelerator of the vehicle with the good battery to rev it around 1,500 RPMs. That’s because the good battery will have a dip in power when the other vehicle tries to start. Revving the engine a bit can help prevent the good car from stalling.
19. Start the engine of the vehicle with the dead battery.
20. Keep the vehicle running after the dead battery starts.
21. Remove the jumper cables in the reverse order that they were placed while keeping both vehicles running.
22. Remove the black clamp from the unpainted metal surface, then the other black clamp, then the red clamp on the good vehicle, then the red clamp on the vehicle that needed the jumpstart.
23. Close the hood.
24. Keep the engine running on the jump-started vehicle for at least 10 minutes. It allows the battery to get charged from the alternator.
25. Keep driving until you get home!

Additional Car Battery Tips & Tricks If the Car Doesn’t Jump-Start

Your vehicle may not start even if you follow the proper way to jump-start a car. If your car won’t jump-start, try to get your vehicle to a service center as soon as possible. There may be something else wrong with your vehicle:

1. If you hear a clicking sound and nothing else, the starter might not be working properly or completely broken.
2. If the electrical systems come on but the engine doesn’t, it might be a problem with the ignition switch, starter, or a blown fuse.
3. If your battery light remains on even after you jump-start the car or if you need to frequently jump-start your car, you may need a new alternator. An alternator is a small generator that recharges the battery when you drive.

Get Expert Car Service in Indiana

Does your vehicle need a new battery, an oil change, or a tire rotation? We can help maintain your vehicle with whatever service you need. Contact us, call 724-349-9100, or schedule service with our team. We’re happy to assist you in any way we can!