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Q: How do I jump start my car? – Mrs. Rosenburg

A: Mrs. Rosenburg, 

In an emergency, it might be necessary to jump start your car.  You need a decent set of jumper cables – heavy wire; no frayed or worn insulation; clean, strong clamps tightly connected to the cable ends. As you connect the cables, do not allow the ends to touch. Follow these steps:

1 – Park the booster car as close as possible to the disabled car without the two vehicles touching.

2 – Clamp one end of the positive cable (red) to the positive terminal (+) of the dead battery.

3 – Connect the other end of the positive cable to the positive terminal of the booster battery.

4 – Connect the negative cable (black) to the negative terminal (-) of the booster battery.

5 – Clamp the other end to an unpainted ground on the disabled car such as a bolt or bracket in the engine compartment. Do NOT clamp to the negative terminal of the battery.

6 – Check your cable/terminal connections: positive to positive on both vehicles, negative to negative on the booster car, and clamp the negative cable to an unpainted ground away from the battery on the disabled vehicle.

7 – Start the booster car and allow it to idle for a few minutes. Do not rev the engine.

8 – Attempt to start the disabled car.

9 – If the car does not start, let the booster car idle for a few more minutes and repeat.

Please note: jump starting your car poses a potential (but small) risk of explosion of the hydrogen gas that can build up in lead-acid batteries, as well as potential damage to vehicle electrical components. Keep bystanders away. Stand clear of the batteries except while making connections.

Visit Tire Pros of Frederick for more helpful auto repair tips.