How to Jump Start a Car

Sometimes you try to start your car in Whitewater, but you’re met with dead silence. What’s going on? You might need to jump start the car battery. Learning how to jump start a car is easily accomplished with just a pair of jumper cables, but you’ll need to use the right techniques for a successful start. Read out step-by-step guide on the proper way to jump start a car, and be sure to visit our service department for additional troubleshooting!

The Proper Way to Jump Start a Car

If your car won’t start, you could call a jump start car service around Orfordville. However, you can save yourself some time and money by doing the task yourself. You’ll need a set of jumper cables, along with a good Samaritan driver who is willing to help you. Once you’re ready to go, here are the steps to jump start a car battery:

• Both cars will park with batteries facing each other. Usually this means the cars will face hood to hood.
• Look for the battery in each car. You might need to remove a plastic hood to gain access to the terminals.
• Examine the terminals and make sure they are free from dirt and corrosion.
• Grab your jumper cables and separate the red ends from the black ends. The two ends should never touch once you begin the process, or you could cause sparking.
• Connect the red clamp to the positive post on the dead battery.
• Connect the other red clamp to the positive terminal on the good battery.
• Connect the black clamp to the negative post on the good battery.
• Connect the last black camp to a grounded and unpainted metal surface on the frame of your car.
• Ask your good Samaritan driver to start their engine.
• Wait a few minutes, then try to start your car.
• After you jump start your car battery, let the engine run for at least 10 minutes to allow the battery to charge.

Additional Car Battery Tips & Tricks

While learning how to jump start a car is fairly straightforward, there are still a number of factors to consider. Here are some addition tips and tricks from our experts if your car won’t jump start:

• When you try to start the car, do you only hear clicking? You might not have a dead battery, but a malfunctioning starter.
• Do the electrical systems turn on, but not the engine? This could be a number of components: ignition switch, starter, or a fuse. Get a diagnosis at our service center to narrow down the issue.
• Did your battery die quickly after the jump? Don’t forget to let your car run after the jump to build up a charge. Some batteries will hold a charge well after you’ve completed the process, but some will not. A battery trickle charger could help, but many cars will need a battery replacement instead.

Learn More with Drive Burtness

Want more service tips? Ready to schedule your next service? Visit Drive Burtness in Orfordville for all of your automotive needs! Our knowledgeable technicians will diagnose and solve any issue you encounter on the Janesville roads, so reach out to us at any time.