How to Jump Start A Car

how to jump a dead car battery

A dead battery could be the start of a bad day for many drivers. Leaving the lights on overnight is the most common culprit of a dead battery. Being able to jump a car using a friend’s vehicle is important for these unexpected situations. United Auto Insurance knows how important it is to feel prepared in the event that your car needs to be jumped. Follow the steps below in order to get started on jumping your car battery or open up our infographic on your phone and follow the instructions. 

  • Check Voltage: Before beginning the process of jumping a car, check that the battery on the other vehicle has at least the same amount of voltage as your car’s battery.
  • Jumper Cables: Keep a set of jumper cables in the trunk of your car. If you find yourself without cables, ask a friend.
  • Place vehicles in park: Make sure that both cars have the ignition shut off and have engaged the parking brake.
  • Attach the red clips: The red clip attaches to the positive terminal of your battery and the other red clip attaches to the positive terminal on the car providing the jump.
  • Attach the black clips: One of the black clips attaches to the negative terminal on the assisting car. The other black clip attaches to an unpainted metal surface on your car that isn’t near the battery.
  • Start the working car first: Let the engine on the car that is jumping your car run for a few minutes.
  • Start your vehicle: Now start your car. Once the car starts, keep the car running for at least 15 minutes. The battery needs to recharge before you start driving.
  • Remove the cables:
    • Remove black clip not attached to battery
    • Remove black clip attached to battery
    • Remove red clip from car battery providing the jump
    • Remove red clip from car battery receiving the charge

After you have successfully jumped the car, the battery should continue to hold a normal charge. If the battery dies again when it’s started the next time, there may be a larger issue with the batteries ability to stay charged.

Contact our friendly team members today to get a free quote on your auto insurance needs.