How to Jump Start a Car

This Winter when its cold outside and you go out to start your car in the morning and your battery is dead. Well, you will be in need of these steps this winter.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Car
• Car Battery
• Jumper Cables

1. 
   You will need a set of jumper cables

   Make sure that you own your own set of Jumper Cables. You will need these to jump start your car. If you do not have any you can find them all your local auto zone or any any parts dealer.

2. 
   Park the both running and dead car side by side

   Have a friend drive a running car next to the car that has a dead battery. Make sure you park the car on the side where the battery is located. Most car batteries are usually on the drivers side of the car.

3. 
   Turn the cars motor off

   After you open the hoods of both of the cars start to connect the cables to the battery. Make sure the motor is not running. Turn the car off.

4. 
   The red side of the cables are positive

   Attach the red end of the jumper cables to the battery of the car thats not running. Make sure you connect your cables to the positive terminal.

5. 
   Attaching your battery to your start cables

   Attach the same red side of the jumper cables the the positive side to the running car just like you did before.

6. 

   Then do the same with the black jumper cables. The black ones are you negative cables. Connect both batteries to both the running car and the car thats not running.

7. 
   Sarting you ingition on your car

   Starting the Car. After you have connected both ends of the cables make sure you turn the running car on first, then you try and start the car with the dead battery. This allows the running cars battery to charge the other cars batteries. This is what they mean by the Jump.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure you start the running car first.

[billyghawaii]

on 1/15/2009 There is an error in this instructions. The last connection should always be the last negative cable not connected. This last cable should not be connected to the battery as it may spark and if the battery is bad and full of hydrogen gas it could explode resulting in sulfuric acid burns on the hands and face of the operator. Instead the last negative connection should be placed on the some part of the engine or engine compartment that is grounded to the negative side of the battery. This way a spark, if any will occur far away from the battery. Also no one should be standing in close to the battery when the car is started as a battery with low acid levels could spark internally, causing the battery to explode.

[chenderson00]

on 1/7/2009 Nice to know these things! 5*s

[HardworkinJudy]

on 1/5/2009 Great tips to keep in the bag with the cables. Thanks!

[deepthinkin]

on 1/3/2009 Everyone should print this out and place beside their jumper cables! Thanks so much..

[rorsich]

on 1/1/2009 Good article. And yes, Jolocol, don't touch them together once connected! It will NOT blow up, but it will spark a bit.

5*****