There are many reasons why your car battery might fail. Sometimes, the battery is old, and it is time for you to replace it. But other times, the battery fails because you accidentally left a light on or drained the battery. Fortunately, there are ways to recharge a drained battery. Here’s a step-by-step guide for jump-starting your car battery.
Have the Right Tools
It’s a good idea to prepare for this possibility before you ever have a problem with your battery. For example, creating an emergency kit for your car can help if you are ever stuck somewhere. It’s smart to include jumper cables as part of your emergency kit. In addition, you should also have a flashlight and flares. Finally, some people carry a battery charger pack in their cars.
With these packs, you may be able to charge your car battery without another car. However, battery packs do not always work, and using another vehicle to jump-start is necessary.
Safely Jump-starting Your Car
- Prep both cars. Some jumper cables are longer, and some are shorter. You may need to move both vehicles, so both fronts are close together. Then, ensure both cars are turned off, in park, and with the parking brakes engaged.
- Attach the first clip. On your battery, you may have covers over your battery terminals. Remove the caps and clip the red clip to the positive terminal on your battery. Look for a + sign or POS. In addition, this terminal is bigger on some cars.
- Attach the other clips. After attaching the first positive clip to your car, you’ll need to connect the rest. Next, place the other red clip on the other car’s positive terminal. Then, add the black clip to the other car’s negative (-) terminal. Finally, place the last black clip on an unpainted metal surface on your car. In fact, many people use the metal rod that holds your car’s hood up.
- The other car starts its engine first. Now, the other car will turn on the ignition and should run for a few minutes.
- Start your car. After the other car has been on for several moments, try starting your vehicle. If it does not start up right away, check that your clips are correctly attached. Then, let the other car run for five minutes and try again.
- Keep your car on. The jump start does not fully restore your battery. As a result, you’ll need to drive around for at least 15 minutes to recharge it.
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Staying on Top of Car Maintenance
Your battery is a crucial part of your car, and it’s important to maintain it. Sometimes, a jump start doesn’t work because there are other issues. At Doug Henry Buick GMC in Goldsboro, North Carolina, you can rely on our service technicians to diagnose your car problems. Make an appointment today for professional service and maintenance.