09/11/2026
Dead battery? Here’s how to safely jump start your car. 🔋🚗
Knowing how to jump-start a car is one of those skills every driver should have, but there are a few important things to remember beyond just connecting the cables.
🔴 Positive first: Connect the red clamp to the positive (+) terminal of the dead battery, then the positive terminal of the good battery.
⚫ Negative last: Connect the black clamp to the negative (-) terminal of the good battery, then connect to the negative terminal of the dead battery. You can also connect negative cable to a clean unpainted metal grounding point on the vehicle.
Before you start:
• Make sure both vehicles are turned off and in Park/Neutral with the parking brakes set.
• Make sure the vehicles aren’t touching.
• Turn off lights, radios, A/C, and other accessories.
• Check the battery and cables for damage before connecting anything.
• Keep the cables away from belts, fans, and other moving engine parts.
• Never attempt to jump a battery that is cracked, leaking, swollen, or otherwise damaged.
Once everything is connected, start the vehicle with the good battery and let it run for a few minutes. The amount of time needed can vary depending on how discharged the other battery is.
If the dead vehicle starts, leave both vehicles running while you disconnect the cables in the reverse order you connected them. Be careful not to let the clamps touch each other or any moving parts.
And remember: a jump-start gets you back on the road, but it doesn’t necessarily mean the battery is healthy. If your battery keeps dying, have the battery and charging system checked.