How to Jump-Start a Car

The only way to prevent an emergency is to be prepared for one. While your car’s battery shouldn’t die with the proper care and maintenance, just to be safe we recommend reading over our helpful jump-start guide below.

Tools 

In order to successfully jump start a car you’ll need to have a few important tools on hand. For starters, you’ll need a set of jumper cables as well as a pair of durable gloves to ensure your hands are protected while setting up your jump. If you’re traveling out of town, or are worried about a breakdown, we strongly encourage you to purchase a portable jump starter in case of an emergency, or invest in a handy roadside assistance service. 

Setting Up

To begin, park the two cars close together and pop the hoods. Locate and remove the covers from each vehicle’s battery terminals, making sure to note which poles are positive (these should be red with a plus sign) and which are negative (these will be black with a negative sign). Take the red cable, and attach each end to both cars’ positive battery terminals. Next, attach the black cable to the working battery’s negative terminal. The other end of the black cable will need to be clipped to a grounded piece of metal, such as your car’s frame. 

Jumping the Car

Once the cables are connected, go ahead and start the working car, and allow it to run for a minute or two. After a few minutes, go ahead and start the other car, and allow both vehicles to run while connected to the cables. Afterward, you’ll want to disconnect the cables in the reverse order you attached them—starting with the black cable and then the red. Make sure not to turn off either vehicle at any point during this process and allow the previously dead car to run for at least 15 minutes before turning it off. 

Having issues with your car’s battery or electrical systems? Then allow the experts here at Express Auto to take care of it for you! We offer convenient service centers at all 5 of our locations across Western Michigan and take great pride in serving our customers nearby in Holland and Grand Rapids, MI.