How to Check the Polarity When Jump Starting a Car
The battery in your vehicle plays a vital role in supplying the necessary power needed to engage the engine's starter motor. When a vehicle's battery becomes depleted, either due to a faulty alternator, wiring short or a defect present within the battery, a “jump start” may allow you to drive the vehicle far enough to avoid being stranded. Determining the correct polarity for the vehicle's battery will ensure a successful jump start and reduce the chances of personal injury or further damage to the vehicle.
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Instructions
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Place the vehicle's transmission in the “Park” position and open the hood. If your vehicle features a manual shift transmission, place the gear selector in the “N” position and engage the parking brake.
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Examine the engine compartment and locate the large square-shaped battery. Depending on the vehicle, the battery may be located on the front left or right side.
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Examine the two cable connection terminals on the battery. If the battery is hidden under shielding or other components, locate the external red-colored power terminal, mounted near the engine or fender. The terminal underneath the red-colored protective denotes the “+” positive, while the black-colored terminal represents the “-” negative polarity side of the battery.
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Examine the sides and top portion of the battery for leaking battery acid. Do not attempt to jump start the vehicle if the battery is leaking; doing so may cause personal injury. Do not handle or replace a leaking battery without the appropriate personal protection equipment.
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Position the booster vehicle close enough to the dead vehicle to allow the jumper cables to reach both batteries. Do not allow both vehicles to touch. Open the booster vehicle's hood.
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Remove the red-colored protective cap from the dead vehicle's “+” positive battery terminal.
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Connect one of the red-colored jumper cable clamps to the positive terminal on the dead battery. Remove the protective red-colored cap from the booster vehicle's positive battery terminal.
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Connect the remaining red-colored cable clamp to the booster vehicle's positive battery terminal.
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Connect the appropriate black-colored jumper cable clamp to a grounded metal portion of the dead vehicle, such as an unpainted fender bolt, away from the battery. Make sure the negative cable clamp and cable is routed away from any moving mechanical parts of the engine.
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Check the jumper cable connections and start the booster vehicle. Allow the booster vehicle to idle for two to three minutes.
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Attempt to start the dead vehicle. If the starter motor for the dead vehicle rotates in a slow manner, instruct the driver of the booster vehicle to slightly rev their engine; allow the dead battery to charge for an additional one or two minutes before attempting to start the vehicle again.
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Allow the dead vehicle to idle for two minutes before disconnecting the jumper cables. Always disconnect the black-colored jumper cable clamp first, followed by the red-colored clamp to avoid accidental shorting of either battery; do not allow the positive and negative jumper cable clamps to touch each other, or the grounded portions of the vehicle at the same time, while performing the disconnection procedure.
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