There are few things as frustrating for drivers as a dead car battery. You try to turn over the ignition and nothing happens, leaving you stuck in the driveway or stranded on the side of the road. However, jump-starting your car battery is easier than you think as long as you have the right tools and knowledge. Here are the steps to jump-start your car battery, brought to you by our Chrysler service experts in Glenview, IL.
Set Up the Vehicles
First, recruit another driver or vehicle with a working battery and park it nose-to-nose with your car. You’ll need a set of jumper cables, so if you don’t have any in your truck, ask the other driver if they have a pair. Make sure both vehicles are off and pop the hoods.
Attach the Clamps
Begin by attaching one of the red clamps to the positive (red) terminal of the working battery, then attach the other red clamp to the positive terminal of the dead battery. Next, attach the black clamp to the negative (black) terminal of the working battery. Finally, attach the other black clamp to an unpainted metal surface on your vehicle; never attach the clamp to the negative terminal of your dead battery. This could cause sparks that can ignite flammable liquids.
Start Your Engines
Once the cables are attached, start the working vehicle and let it run for about 5 minutes. After it has had a few minutes to charge, try turning over the ignition in your vehicle. If the jump-start worked, your car should fire right up. If it doesn’t, give it a couple more minutes before trying again. If your car still won’t start, there could be an unseen issue with your electrical system, so you’ll need to contact roadside assistance and have it towed to our service center.
Remove the Cables and Let Your Car Run
Now that your car has started, remove the cables in this order: the unpainted surface, the negative terminal of the other car, the positive terminal of your vehicle, then the positive end of the other vehicle. Let your car run for at least 15 minutes before shutting it off again; this includes driving to your destination.
Visit Fields Chrysler Jeep® Dodge RAM for Battery Service
To assure you don’t run into this problem again, visit the service center at Fields Chrysler Jeep® Dodge RAM, and our technicians will replace your battery and inspect your electrical system. Don’t delay — visit us today!