How to Jump Start a Car

If your car isn’t starting, you more than likely need a jump start. However, jump starting your car isn’t as difficult as it may seem. Rather than contacting a jump start car service near Martinsville or AAA, all you need to do is retrieve a pair of jumper cables and another running vehicle to get your car back on the road. Learn more about how to properly jump start a car with Gunter CDJR Martinsville in Ridgeway. 

The Proper Way to Jump Start a Car

To begin with, you’ll need a pair of a jumper cables and another running vehicle. Once you have these two things, follow these steps to jump start your car battery:

1. Have the front of your vehicle, and the front of the running vehicle, facing one another. Make sure that both cars are turned off and that they’re placed in either park or neutral. 
2. Open both hoods and find their batteries. There may be a plastic hood you will have to remove to expose the battery terminals. You can always consult your owner’s manual if you’re having trouble locating the battery.
3. Find the positive and negative terminals on both batteries. Make sure that each terminal is clean and corrosion-free. 
4. Connect the red clamp of the jumper cable to the positive post on the dead battery.
5. Uncoil the battery cable and hook the other red clamp to the positive terminal of the charged battery.
6. Connect the black clamp to the negative post on the good battery. 
7. For the final clamp, connect it to an unpainted metal surface on the car’s frame.
8. Once all of the cables are connected, start the engine of the vehicle with the good battery first, then the one with the dead battery.
9. After the dead battery has been jump-started, carefully remove the jumper cables in the reverse order that they were placed on, then shut off the car with the good battery.
10. Keep the engine running for at least 10 minutes to make sure the car’s battery doesn’t die again.

What to do if Your Car Won’t Jump Start

If your car won’t jump start, you may need a battery replacement, or it may be a sign of a more serious problem. Check out how you can troubleshoot this issue:

1. If you hear a clicking sound when trying to turn the car on, the starter may be malfunctioning. If you’re near Danville, schedule service at Gunter CDJR Martinsville for a replacement. 
2. If the car’s electrical systems turn on, but the engine fails to turn over, this could be an indicator of ignition switch, battery, starter, or a fuse issue. You can bring the car into our service department experts so they can diagnose the problem. 
3. After the car turns on, make sure to keep the vehicle running for a while so that it can get fully recharged.

Gunter CDJR Martinsville Wants to Service Your Vehicle Today!

Our service department at Gunter CDJR Martinsville is ready to help Reidsville, NC customers maintain their vehicles. Browse our service specials to keep your car maintenance budget-friendly! Additionally, check out our service tips and tricks and service videos so you can stay in-the-know on how to keep your car running smoothly for years to come.