How to Jump Start a Car

It can be really frustrating when you return to your car in Jackson and it won’t start. When you know how to jump start a car you’ll save the time required to wait for roadside assistance. And if your vehicle isn’t covered by a roadside assistance plan, you’ll save money when you know how to jump start a car. It’s easy to learn, and quick to perform. Find out how to jump start a car with the service department at Toyota of Brookhaven.

How to Jump Start a Car

All you need to jump start a car is a pair of jumper cables and a car with a good battery. This could be a friend or family member who comes to help, or even a good samaritan in Monticello.

1. Park the car with the good battery facing the car with the dead battery. Turn off both vehicles and engage the parking brakes.
2. Find both batteries under the hoods of the cars. It might be covered with a plastic hood that needs to be removed to expose the terminals.
3. Identify the positive and negative terminals of the batteries. Make sure they’re clean and not corroded.
4. Connect the red clamp to the positive terminals on the dead battery, then hook the other red clamp to the positive terminal on the good battery.
5. Connect the black clamp to the negative post on the good battery. Attach the final clamp to an unpainted part of the car’s frame.
6. Start the engine of the vehicle with the good battery, then the car with the dead battery. Let both vehicles run.
7. Once the dead battery has been jump started, carefully remove the jumper cables in the reverse order you put them on. Turn off the car with the good battery. Let the jump started car run for at least 10 minutes to generate battery power.

Some car issues might seem like a dead battery but aren’t. If you try to start your car but only hear clicking, the problem is likely your starter. If your car won’t turn on but the electrical system works, it could be any number of issues: ignition switch, battery, starter, or fuse. You’ll need to schedule a service appointment for any of these issues.

Learn More DIY Auto Service Tips with Toyota of Brookhaven

We want you to benefit from the decades of experience in the Toyota of Brookhaven service department—take a look at our service tips and tricks to learn easy DIY automotive repair you can do at home. Don’t hesitate to contact us with your service questions.