How to Jump-Start a Car

If your vehicle’s battery is dead and you need to learn how to jump-start a car by yourself – don’t worry! The experts at Bosak Chevrolet GMC are here to help. Follow the outlined steps below on how to properly jump-start a car so you can avoid the hassle of calling a car battery service. However, if your battery is nearing the end of its lifespan, you’re better off visiting our service center in Michigan City for a replacement. 

How to Jump-Start a Car in 10 Easy Steps

The first step in learning how to jump-start a car by yourself is finding a set of jumper cables and another nearby vehicle. Once you’ve got your equipment ready, just follow these simple instructions:

1. Park Car with Good Battery Next to Car with Dead Battery: Have the car with the good battery park facing the other vehicle, then make sure that the vehicle is turned off. Check to make sure both parking brakes are engaged.
2. Locate the Batteries in Both Vehicles: Open both hoods and find the batteries. You may need to remove a plastic hood to expose the battery terminals.
3. Locate Positive and Negative Terminals: Identify the positive and negative terminals. Make sure they’re clean and free of any corrosion.
4. Connect Red Clamp to Dead Positive Post: Connect the red clamp to the positive post on the dead battery.
5. Connect Other Red Clamp to Charged Positive Post: Uncoiling the battery cable, hook the other red clamp to the positive terminal of the battery with the charge.
6. Connect Black Clamp to Charged Negative Post: Connect the black clamp to the negative post on the good battery. 
7. Connect Last Clamp to Car’s Frame: For the final clamp, connect it to an unpainted metal surface on your car’s frame.
8. Start Engine on Charged Car: Once everything is hooked up securely, start the engine of the vehicle with the good battery first, then the one with the dead battery.
9. Remove Jumper Cables and Turn Off Helper Car: Once the dead vehicle has been jump-started, carefully remove the jumper cables in the reverse order that they were placed on, then shut off the car that was used to help jump-start the dead car.
10. Keep Engine Running on Restarted Car: 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.

About Dead Cars

Curious as to how long it takes to jump-start a car? From connecting the clamps to keeping the engine running as the vehicle restarts, the whole process shouldn’t take any longer than 15 minutes. However, if your car won’t jump start after the steps detailed above, you might need a battery replacement or more serious maintenance. Take a look at the following steps to troubleshoot the problem: 

1. If you try to start the car but only hear a clicking sound, the starter might not be functioning. Schedule a service appointment at Bosak Chevrolet GMC near LaPorte, IN for a replacement.
2. If the electrical systems of the car turn on, but the engine fails to turn over, the ignition switch, battery, starter, or fuse could be the problem. It’s worth bringing your vehicle to a service center so they can diagnose the issue.
3. Be sure to keep your vehicle running for a while after getting the jump. That allows the battery to recharge fully after it’s been drained.

Get Serviced at Bosak Chevrolet GMC in Michigan City

Need a new battery for your Chevrolet, GMC vehicle? Perhaps you just need an oil change before you get back to your South Bend, IN-area travels? Regardless of the service you need, you can rely on the certified technicians at Bosak Chevrolet GMC to take care of all your maintenance needs – just contact us today!