How to Start a Car Using a Battery Jumper
- 1). Test the battery jumper to make sure it's sufficiently charged. Most systems have a "Test" button or a LED light indicating the internal battery strength.
- 2). Turn your engine off and remove the key from the ignition. Open your hood.
- 3). Locate your battery. Most car batteries are located near one of the fender wells, either on the left or right side of the engine bay. Your battery may be covered; if so, look for a black, rectangular box with "+" and "-" symbols. If your battery is covered, open the cover's clips to access the battery. If your battery is not in your engine bay, your vehicle will have a positive (+) battery post. You can use this to jump start the vehicle.
- 4). Connect the positive (red) clamp to the positive (+) battery terminal or post. After connecting the positive clamp, locate a ground for the negative (black) clamp. The ground must be unpainted, bare metal. The ground is required to complete the circuit, so electricity can properly flow. If you cannot locate a proper ground, connect the clamp to the negative battery terminal as a last option.
- 5). Insert your key into the ignition and crank the engine. If the engine doesn't crank immediately, leave the battery jumper connected for a few minutes and try again.
- 6). Remove the negative clamp from the ground or battery terminal with the car engine running (you don't want it to go dead again; it needs to run awhile to fully charge). After you've removed the negative clamp, remove the positive clamp.
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