How to Jump-Start a Car

We’ve all been in the situation where no matter how much we try our vehicle won’t start. Thankfully, that can be an easy problem to fix. In all likelihood, all you need is a jump-start, car battery service, or something similar. The first option is the most likely, and you can do that yourself with a little help. 

Use this guide on how to properly jump-start a car from the service experts at National Auto Plaza, and you’ll be using the proper way to jump-start a car in no time. That way you don’t need to call a jump-start car service. If your car won’t jump start, it could be that your battery is nearing the end of its life, so visit our service center near Salt Lake City for a replacement.

The Proper Way to Jump-Start a Car

To properly jump-start a car you do need some materials: a set of jumper cables and another vehicle. If you only have one vehicle, ask for a friend or a neighbor’s help. It’s also possible to call a jump-start car service that serves the Draper area like AAA, but if you have those materials, and you’d like to do it yourself, here are the steps: 

1. Have the car with the good battery park facing the other vehicle, then make sure that the vehicle is turned off. Check to make sure both parking brakes are engaged.
2. Open both hoods and find the batteries. You may need to remove a plastic hood to expose the battery terminals.
3. Identify the positive and negative terminals. Make sure they’re clean and free of any corrosion.
4. Connect the red clamp to the positive post on the dead battery.
5. Uncoiling the battery cable, hook the other red clamp to the positive terminal of the battery with the charge.
6. Connect the black clamp to the negative post on the good battery. 
7. For the final clamp, connect it to an unpainted metal surface on your car’s frame.
8. Once everything is hooked up securely, start the engine of the vehicle with the good battery first, then the one with the dead battery.
9. Once the dead vehicle has been jump-started, carefully remove the jumper cables in the reverse order that they were placed on, then shut off the car that was used to help jump-start the dead car.
10. Keep the engine running on the restarted vehicle for at least 10 minutes to ensure that the weak battery doesn’t die again right away. Consult your owner’s manual for more info on recommended times.

If Your Car Won’t Jump-Start

If your car won’t jump start, then you might need to replace your battery. The other possibility is that it’s a sign of a more serious problem. Thankfully, you can troubleshoot the issue yourself. Here are some ways to do it: 

1. If you try and start the car but only hear a clicking sound, the starter might not be functioning. Schedule service at National Auto Plaza near South Salt Lake for a replacement.
2. If the electrical systems of the car turn on, but the engine fails to turn over, the problem could be a number of issues. The ignition switch, battery, starter, or a fuse could be the problem. It’s worth bringing your vehicle to a service center, so they can diagnose the issue.
3. Be sure to keep your vehicle running for a while after getting the jump. That allows the battery to recharge fully after it’s been drained.

You can Trust National Auto Plaza for Quality Service

We hope that this guide has helped you jump-start your car! If you still have questions, or you’ve found that you need to replace your battery, contact us! We’re always here to help. Make sure to check out our service specials, and we’ll try our best to get you the best deal we can!