How to Jump Start a Car

Sometimes trouble happens. You go to start your car and nothing happens. Maybe you have jumper cables, but the car won’t jump start, or don’t know how to jump start a car battery safely. All Williston drivers should know what to do if they find themselves stranded on the side of the road. First and foremost is knowing the proper way to jump start a car. Ryan Chevrolet created this guide to learning how to jump start a car battery. In the event that you need a new car battery, or regular service maintenance, contact the service center at Ryan Chevrolet.

Proper Ways to Jump Start a Car

So how do you jump start car service? The essential equipment needed for this situation in New Town or Belcourt are a set of jumper cables, as well as another vehicle to provide a charge to your battery. Then, follow these steps:

1. Park the running car with its hood facing or next to yours. Parking brakes should be on for both vehicles.
2. Look under the hoods and find the battery. Some car models have the battery terminal and cables underneath a plastic hood. If so, remove it.
3. Clean the positive and negative battery terminals, to remove any corrosion.
4. The jumper cables must be attached in this order:
   • Red clamp to the positive terminal of the dead battery
   • The other red clamp to the positive terminal of the charged battery
   • Then the black clamp to the negative terminal of the charged battery
   • Finally, attach the other black clamp to an unpainted metal surface on the car with the dead battery.

Once the cables are connected correctly, have the driver of the vehicle with the charged battery start the engine. Then start your engine.

After both cars are running, carefully remove the cables in the reverse order they were attached.

Keep the engine running on your restarted vehicle for at least 10 minutes. This ensures the battery doesn’t die again by boosting the charge.

What to Do If Your Car Won’t Jump Start

But what if your car still won’t jump start? Unfortunately, your battery might be dead, which you can find at our parts department in Minot. Other causes could be:

• If your car makes a clicking sound, the starter may be broken.
• If the engine won’t start, but other electrical systems turn on, there may be issues with the ignition switch, the starter or fuses.
• If your vehicle starts, but then the battery dies again right away, it may be a bad alternator.

Depend on Ryan Chevrolet for Expert Auto Service

For anything from oil changes, changing a brake light at home, changing a car tire, programming a Chevy key fob, or choosing a gas vs. diesel engine, Ryan Chevrolet is here to help. You can even save on your next service appointment near Belcourt with our range of maintenance coupons and specials. Contact us today with any questions you might have!