How to Jump-Start a Vehicle

Many car drivers know how to jump-start their car with jumper cables or a jumper box. However, many do not take the appropriate steps to ensure safety. Car batteries can be extremely dangerous. Preparation is key to jump starting a car safely. Store all the necessary items in your car to be properly prepared for an emergency jump-start.

Instructions

1

Inspect the jumper cables for excessive use and wear. Look for rust and corrosion. Check the wiring to ensure no wires are exposed. Do not jump-start your vehicle with cables that show signs of damage.

2

Use protective eyewear while you jump-start the vehicle. Keep a pair of polycarbonate protective glasses with your jumper cables. Look for goggles that have a Z-87 symbol so you know they are certified for auto work.

3

Do not smoke while jumping the car battery. Keep cigarettes and other possible sources of ignition clear of the car during the jumping process.

4

Park the car with the good battery close enough for the jumper cables to stretch between the cars. Turn off both cars and prop open the hoods.

5

Locate the positive and negative marks on both batteries and on the jumper cables. Connect the positive cable to the positive terminal on the dead car. Connect the positive cable to the positive cable on the live car. Do not let the negative cable come in contact with the positive cable.

6

Connect the negative clamp to the negative terminal on the live battery. Connect the negative clamp to the engine block on the dead car to ground the electric current. Start the live car, wait a few seconds and then start the dead car.

7

Remove the negative clamp from the troubled vehicle and then remove the negative clamp from the helper vehicle. Do not let the negative clamps touch the positive. Remove the positive clamp from the helper car and then remove the positive clamp from the troubled vehicle.