How to Safely Jump-Start a Vehicle

How to Safely Jump-Start a Vehicle

Although you should familiarize yourself with the steps outlined in your owner's manual, here are some standard rules.

• Do not smoke, create a spark or light a match near a battery.
• Check the battery voltage. Most new cars have a 12-volt battery. Never try to jump an older car with a 6-volt battery by using a 12-volt battery. The battery could explode.
• Make sure the vehicles aren't touching.
• Check the charge indicator dot or hydrometer. Its color changes depending on the state of the battery charge. Green means fully charged. Brown or black means the charge is lost. Yellow means that the battery is bad and needs to be replaced.
• Make sure the battery terminals, positive and negative, are clean and free of corrosion. You can clean them with baking soda and water. (In an emergency, Coke works.)
• Don't let the cables touch each other.
• First connect both the positive (red) cables to the plus (+) terminals.
• Then connect both negative (black) cables to the negative (-) terminals. Do not make the final jumper connection to the low or dead battery itself. It could produce a spark.
• Turn on the engine in the vehicle with the good battery and let it idle for a few minutes.
• Turn on your headlights before starting your car. This absorbs voltage spikes that can cause damage to your vehicle's computer.
• Turn on the vehicle with the low battery. As soon as it starts, remove the cables.
• Once it's jumped, drive the vehicle for at least 30 minutes to recharge the battery. Depending on the condition of the battery, additional time may be required.