It’s happened to all of us: you get in your car and turn the key only to find that the vehicle won’t start. The cuplrit? A dead battery. If your car battery is dead, you might have to jumpstart the engine to get it going again. If you’ve never done this, the process can seem a bit intimidating. Don’t worry, though – the DeBroux Automotive team will walk you through it, step by step.
Let’s dive in!
5 Steps to Jumpstart Your Battery Safely
Follow these steps to get your vehicle running again:
1. Get the cables ready
It’s always a good idea to keep jumper cables in the car. Even if your battery is brand-new, you never know when you’re going to run into someone else who needs a jump. With this in mind, pick up some jumper cables from your local auto parts store. Not sure what kind you need? This article has some great tips.
When it’s time to use the cables, pull them out of the car and straighten them – removing any kinks or loops.
2. Line up the cars
Next, you have to get the cars in the right position. If possible, pull them together, nose-to-nose, so their engines are a few feet from one another. Place both vehicles in park and turn off both ignitions.
3. Attach the cables
This is the most essential step when you jumpstart a battery, and you have to do it right. To avoid damage to your car, attach one of the red clips to your battery’s positive terminal (marked with a +). As you do this, make sure the clips on the other end of the cables aren’t touching one another, since this can cause arcing. For added safety, fasten one of the clips back on itself to the rubber of the cable.
Once you’ve attached the red clip to your car’s positive battery terminal, connect the other red clip to the other car’s positive battery terminal. Next, you can attach the black clip to the other vehicle’s negative terminal (marked with a -). Finally, attach the negative clip to your car’s battery.
4. Start the other car
Now that the cars are hooked up, start the working vehicle and let it run for a few minutes. This process transfers “juice” to your car and will help it get the energy it needs to turn over.
5. Try to start your vehicle
The car should turn right over. If it doesn’t, stop cranking it and let it charge from the other car for another few minutes. Once you get your vehicle started, keep it running for at least 10 minutes to ensure your battery charges fully.
Battery Problems? Visit Your Local Pensacola Auto Mechanic
Now that you’ve jumpstarted your car, you should be back on the road. In most cases, though, a dead battery is a warning sign that your car needs some attention. To avoid getting stuck again, visit the team here at DeBroux.
Your trusted local auto mechanic in Pensacola, we provide professional battery services. We’ll check out your car’s systems and make sure you’re ready for fall driving. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.