How to Jump Start a Car With a Jump Box

A jump box is a contained portable battery with cables that can help boost the current to a battery that has become too weak to start the engine. The jump box works best when the weakened battery can turn the car's engine over, but can't do it fast enough to start the car. A jump box can be stored in the trunk of your car for emergency starts.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Jump box

1. Open the hood of your car and secure it with the prop rod. Clamp the end of the jump box positive or red clamp to the positive or red battery post first. Connect the negative or black clamp to a clean ground on the engine of your car or directly onto the negative or black battery post last.

2. Start your car. Remove the negative clamp from your battery first, and then remove the positive clamp.

3. Release the hood prop rod and close the hood of your car securely.

Tips & Warnings

• The jump box battery must be fully charged for best results.
• Sometimes corrosion on the battery terminals will cause the car's battery to appear dead. Clean corrosion from the terminals and keep the terminal clamps tight on the battery posts.
• Do not allow the battery cable clamps to touch each other when hooked to a car battery.
• To avoid sparks around the dead battery, the negative cable should be clamped on the engine away from the battery. Engine metal surfaces are negative in most cars.

Who Can Help Sponsored

• Ask a Mechanic Online Now