You like to think of yourself as a well-rounded, knowledgeable woman. Until one day you are running late for work, only to get behind the wheel, put the key in the ignition, turn and…nothing but a dead battery. Sure, you can call a friend for a jump, but what happens if neither of you is able to remember how to use jumper cables? Wait—was it positive to black, negative to red, black to red or black to black?!
Fear not, stranded driver! The following instructions guide you, step-by-step, through the process of jump-starting your vehicle. Always remember: refer to the vehicle owner’s manual before you start this process for any specific instructions on jumping your particular vehicle.
Step 1: Make sure to maneuver both vehicles close enough to ensure the jumper cables are at the correct distance to connect the batteries and turn off the donor vehicle (the key should be in the off position for the car being jumped as well).
Step 2: Pop the hood on both vehicles.
Step 3: Connect the positive or red jumper cable clamp to the corresponding battery terminals (This is usually marked with a plus sign) on both vehicles.
Step 4: Connect the negative or black jumper cable clamp to the corresponding battery terminals (This is usually marked with a minus sign) on both vehicles.
Step 5: Double check clamps to ensure there is proper contact on the battery terminal.
Step 6: Start the donor vehicle and allow the engine to idle for one or two minutes. You might want to rev the engine a few times to increase the charge.
Step 7: Attempt to start the recipient vehicle.
Step 8: If the car starts, remove the jumper cables in reverse order of how they were installed. Close the hood on both vehicles. Park the donor car and drive the recipient car for about 10 minutes to ensure the alternator has enough rotation to charge the battery.
If the car does not start, check the connection from the jumper clamp and the battery terminal. You want to make sure the clamp is secure on the terminal. Attempt to start the car again.
WARNING: Do not crisscross the jumper cable on the batteries. Make sure the negative or black wire is connected to the negative terminal on both cars. The same guidelines apply to the positive or red wires. Do not touch the negative clamps to the positive wire clamps while connected to a vehicle’s battery. This can cause damage to your vehicle’s electrical components, which can lead to thousands of dollars in repair or worse…your batter could over heat and explode.
Article written by Dorothy Crouch for Moxy Magazine, January 2012.
