How to Jump-Start a Car

We know that starting your day with a dead car battery is not the way you want things to go, but it does happen. It’s always good to be prepared and know what to do in case your car won’t start in Jefferson County. The process of how to properly jump-start a car is pretty simple, so take a look below and follow our step-by-step guide for more information as we cover topics like:

• What to do if your car won’t jump-start
• How to jump-start a car battery if you have two vehicles
• Our battery services
• How to properly jump-start a car

The Proper Way to Jump-Start a Car Battery

While calling for a jump-start car service in St Charles is always an option, if you’re prepared and you have another working car available to jump-start your vehicle, you have everything you need to do it yourself!

Do keep in mind that if you don’t feel comfortable asking a stranger to help you, or if you’re in a new area alone, calling a jump-start car service may be your best option. Otherwise, it’s easy to learn how to properly jump-start a car:

1. Face the two vehicles with the batteries facing each other. Most vehicles have batteries in the engines, meaning they’ll usually face hood-hood. Some foreign cars, though, have the battery in the trunk. After you’ve parked the vehicles, turn them off and set the parking brakes.
2. Gain access to the batteries. Keep in mind that you may need to remove a plastic hood to expose the battery terminals. It depends on your vehicle and its model year.
3. Find the positive and negative battery terminals. Make sure they are clean and free of any corrosion or dirt as that can impair your vehicle’s performance.
4. Take stock of your cables and separate the red ends from the black ends. You don’t want them to touch, ever, as they could spark.
5. Next, connect the red clamp to the positive post on the dead battery.
6. Uncoiling the battery cable, hook the other red clamp to the positive terminal of the battery with the charge.
7. Connect the black clamp to the negative post on the good battery.
8. Connect the last black clamp to a grounded, unpainted metal surface on your car’s frame.
9. Once everything is hooked up securely, start the engine of the vehicle with the good battery. Keep in mind that letting the vehicle run for a little while before starting up the other vehicle would be your best bet. It needs time to charge the dead battery.
10. Once the dead vehicle has been successfully jump-started, carefully remove the jumper cables in the reverse order that they were placed on, and keep the other vehicle running.
11. Be sure to keep the engine running on the restarted vehicle for at least ten minutes to ensure that the weak battery doesn’t die again right away.

Additional Car Battery Tips & Tricks

There are plenty of reasons aside from a dead car battery why your vehicle may not be starting causing you to look for a jump-start car service. Here are just a few worth noting:

1. If you try to start the car but only hear a clicking sound, the starter might not be functioning.
2. If the electrical systems of the car turn on, but the engine does not, then the issue could be a number of things including the ignition switch, starter, or even something as simple as a fuse. Whatever part is causing the issue, it’s always good practice to take your vehicle to a service center so the problem can be properly diagnosed and repaired.
3. Don’t forget to keep your vehicle running for a while after it’s received a jump. That allows the battery to recharge some after it’s been completely drained.

Learn the the Proper Way to Jump-Start a Car at Suntrup Hyundai South

Now you know how to jump-start your car battery! All our St Louis drivers looking to learn more about how to jump-start their cars can get all the help they need from our St. Louis service center. Our knowledgeable technicians are trained to assist you with issues both battery-related and otherwise. So, if your car won’t jump-start, feel free to schedule a service appointment, and we’ll get your car working like new! And be sure to check out our service specials before you make your way in!