Of all the problems your car can develop, a dead battery is one of the easiest to solve. All you need are jumper cables and someone with a running vehicle who is willing to help start your car. You want stay safe too, so follow these six steps from Kennedy Transmission in Minneapolis, MN, to learn how to revive a dead car battery with jumper cables.
How to Jump-Start a Dead Car Battery
1. Shift both vehicles into park or neutral, make sure ignitions are switched off, and set the parking brakes. Now, you’re ready to jump your car.
2. Securely attach a red jumper cable clip to the positive terminal on your dead battery. You can identify the positive terminal by its “+” sign or the letters POS.
Power Tip: Another way to identify a positive battery terminal is by its size. The positive terminal is bigger than the negative terminal.
3. Next, attach the other red cable clip to the positive terminal on the working battery. Make sure both clips are secure on both terminals.
4. Now, attach the partnered black jumper cable clip to the negative terminal on the working battery. This terminal is usually marked with a “-” sign.
5. Finally, attach the black clip on your end of the jumper cables to an unpainted metal surface under your hood—such as the frame, a bolt, of the engine block—away from the battery. Now, the working car can be started.
6. Let the working car run for several minutes. Start your engine and disconnect the jumper cables in reverse order. First, remove the black clamp from your vehicle and then the black clamp from the working battery. Finally, remove the red clamp from the working battery and then the red clamp from your car battery.
Power Tip: Once you have revived your dead car batter, recharge the battery by driving around for at least 15 minutes.
Extra Power Tips for Reviving a Dead Battery
• Check the owner’s manual to be sure your car’s circuitry system can handle a jump-start.
• Don’t jump-start a dead battery if either car has an electronic ignition system.
• Never let jumper cable clips touch each other during the process.
• Never try to jump a leaking, cracked, or corroded battery.
• Don’t try to jump-start a frozen battery, as the process could make it explode.
Kennedy Transmission at Your Service
If just can’t seem to revive your dead car batter, you can count on us here at Kennedy Transmission in Minneapolis, MN. Our master auto technicians work on battery, starting, and charging systems every day. Give us a call or schedule an appointment. We’re always at your service with seven convenient locations and the best auto mechanics in the state.
