How to Jump-Start a Car

Most Bartow drivers believe they know how to jump-start a car battery, but often skip a few important steps. Our service department is here to help, so we’ve put together a guide below on how to properly jump-start a car. We’ll also talk about what to do if the car won’t jump start.

How to Jump-Start a Car Battery – Identify the Battery Terminals

You’ll need to identify the positive and negative terminals on each car battery in order to jump-start your car and get it running again on our Winter Haven roads. The positive terminal is typically larger than the negative and may have a “+” or “POS” label. The negative terminal may be labeled with a “-” or “NEG.” It’s critical to connect the jumper cables to the proper terminals to avoid electrical damage.

How to Properly Jump-Start a Car – Connect the Jumper Cables

With the batteries identified, use this sequence to connect the cables:

1. Attach the red positive (+) cable clamp to the dead battery’s positive terminal
2. Attach the other red clamp to the live battery’s positive terminal
3. Attach the black negative (-) cable to the live battery’s negative terminal
4. Attach the last black clamp to a metal ground on the dead battery car away from the battery.

How to Jump-Start a Car Battery – Start the Live Car and Dead Battery

With the cables securely in place, start the live car and let it run for 2-3 minutes to charge the dead battery. Then, try starting the dead car – it should turn over and start. If not, allow the live car to charge it further.

How to Properly Jump-Start a Car – Remove the Jumper Cables

Once the previously dead car is running, remove the jumper cables in the reverse sequence:

1. Remove the black cable from the dead car’s ground
2. Remove the black cable from the live battery’s negative terminal
3. Remove the red cable from the live battery’s positive terminal
4. Remove the red cable from the dead battery’s positive terminal

What If Your Car Won’t Jump-Start?

So, you’ve done all the steps above, but your car won’t jump start. What now? Try the following: 

• The jumper cables may be loose. Make sure they are well-connected.
• The posts or terminals may be corroded. Clean them thoroughly.
• The starter may be broken. If this is the case, you should hear a clicking noise.
• The battery may have reached the end of its life.
• If you still can’t jump-start your car, service should be scheduled with one of our service centers in the Lakeland area so that we can assist.

Let the Battery Experts at Kelley Automotive Group Help

Stop by one of our service centers today to make sure your battery and electrical system are in top shape for reliable starting all season long. If you found this guide to be helpful, check out our post on how to remove a car battery. We have several convenient locations, so drop by or contact us today!