Jumper cables, rubber gloves and another vehicle with a working battery will all be necessary to perform this process successfully. Both engines should also be switched off, parking brakes set securely and hoods raised so you can gain access to their batteries.
1. Check the Battery
Dead batteries can strike unexpectedly and it may not always be easy to find someone available to jump their car. With regular inspection and preventive maintenance, however, you can ensure your battery is ready for another jump when an unexpected lapse happens.
Check and clean the connections to the battery terminals as necessary, ensuring both positive (+) and negative (-) terminals don’t touch each other and are free from corrosion. Increase idle speed on your booster car to assist a weak battery build up charge more rapidly.
Always carry jumper cables with your vehicle, following manufacturer’s instructions when using them. Jump starting can safely recharge batteries while protecting electronic systems.
2. Check the Connections
Jump starting a car may appear miraculous when it works, but there are risks involved. One such risk involves damaging key electrical systems, which include airbags and Bluetooth systems.
Avoid this by using fully insulated jump leads with clear polarity markings and sturdy clamps, and wearing rubber gloves to protect your hands from battery acid, along with safety goggles for additional protection.
Make sure that both cars are parked as close together as possible (nose-to-nose or side-by-side, but not touching), with engines turned off and keys removed from both. Connect one positive cable end from one car to the red terminal marked “+”, on another car marked with plus symbol; connect its negative clip from working vehicle with unpainted metal surface (usually engine block) of dead vehicle before disconnecting in reverse order when finished to prevent sparks from damaging electrical systems of both cars. This process will prevent sparks from damaging both cars’ electrical systems!
3. Park the Cars
Before beginning, park both cars as close together without touching, ensuring their jump leads can easily reach each battery.
- On the car with the dead battery
- Switch off its lights and all electrical systems (radio/CD player/satnav etc)
- Lower its driver’s window as well as any windows for air circulation to avoid voltage surges.
- Next open both bonnets of both cars and attach one red clip from both cars’ positive terminals (should have ‘+’ or ‘POS’ labels)
- Attaching another red clip from the working car’s positive terminal (it should have ‘+/POS’ label) while attaching another red clip from the working car’s positive terminal or unpainted metal surface of both.
4. Connect the Cables
Misconnection of cables between cars can damage both electrics and cause sparks, so only use jumper cables of high quality with larger gauge, which will transfer current faster.
Make sure that both vehicles are parked close enough together that cables can reach from one car to the next without touching. Switch off all electrical devices in the car with a dead battery, such as radio and interior lights, before lowering its driver window. Connect one end of the red jump to the positive terminal on one battery, then the other end to its positive terminal on a flat battery.
Finally, attach the black jump lead’s negative terminal to that same working battery’s negative terminal and its other end to an unpainted metal surface such as engine block or chassis on that same dead battery for grounding purposes.
5. Start the Car
Jump starting a car may not be difficult, but there are still risks involved. Failure to adhere to proper procedures could damage electronic components costing hundreds or even thousands in repairs; furthermore, cranking your engine for over 60 seconds in any five minute period could burn out its starter motor – a smaller electrically powered engine used as the initial force required to start up your main engine and get moving!
First, locate someone willing to lend you jump leads and a car with the same voltage battery as your vehicle’s battery. Position both vehicles close enough together so the cables can reach but don’t touch; turn off ignition and accessories in both cars before setting parking brakes and opening hoods to locate batteries (you may need to remove plastic covers first) then connect cables as follows:
6. Disconnect the Cables
No matter if your car’s battery is dead or needs boosting, proper disconnecting of cables is of utmost importance as an incorrect connection could create an electrical surge and potentially harm both batteries and electronics.
Beginning by parking both vehicles closely together with all their electrical equipment off. Position them so their bonnets face each other, while leaving their handbrakes engaged as an added precaution.
Locate and clean both batteries’ positive and negative terminals to ensure they are free from corrosion. Connect one end of your red jump lead to the positive terminal on one battery and the other to its positive terminal on the other – be sure to peel back any protective plastic film covering these terminals prior to connecting your cable!
Attaching one end of the black jump leads to the negative terminal on both batteries. Next, connect this cable to an earthing point on either engine block or chassis in the vehicle with an empty battery (please consult your vehicle handbook for further instructions). Earthing helps protect electronics against discharged batteries destroying their functioning capabilities.
