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Jump Starting Batteries

Just because you car has a dead battery doesn't mean that you have to be stranded along the road somewhere. If you can find another car and have a pair of jumper cables on hand, you can learn the safe way to jump-start your car and get it back on the road in no time!

1. The first and probably most popular way to get your car's battery recharged is to jump-start it. There are battery packs you can purchase and carry for this same purpose, but jump-starting might be easier.

2. To jump start your car you need a second car with a good, or properly-charged battery and a good pair of jumper cables. The cables should not be frayed or have spots in which the bare wires are hanging out.

3. Next, position the running car so that it is close enough to your car and the jumper cables can reach the batteries of both cars.

4. Next, turn off all the accessories on both of the cars. This includes radios, blower fans, turn signals, windshield wipers, headlights, etc.

5. Now, squeeze open the clamp and attach the red jumper cable to the positive battery terminal, sometimes marked with a "+" sign. Then, in this order, attach the other red jumper cable to the positive side of the battery that needs charged.

6. Next, squeeze open the clamp of the black jumper cable and attach it to the negative terminal, sometimes marked with a "-" sign; of the good battery. Always remember, red goes to red and black goes to black, or positive always gets attached to positive and negative always gets attached to negative. Never cross the two!

7. Next, attach the remaining black jumper cable to a metal surface on the stalled car. This is the grounding wire and should be clamped as far away from the car's battery as possible. Make sure the jumper cables will not interfere with any moving parts under the car's hood.

8. With the jumper cables hooked-up to both car batteries, let the car with the good battery run for several minutes before trying to start the other car.

9. Then, start the other car and carefully remove all of the jumper cables from their connections. Do this in the reverse order in which they were attached.

10. Run the car that had the dead battery for several minutes before you start driving. This will further give the previously dead battery a chance to charge.