A dead battery is one of the most common roadside problems. Follow your owner’s manual first – some vehicles have dedicated remote jump points under the hood.
Before you start
- Do not jump a battery that is cracked, leaking, swollen or frozen.
- Switch off both vehicles, lights and accessories. Put both in Park (or neutral) with the parking brake on.
- Wear eye protection and keep sparks and flames away from the battery.
With jumper cables
- Red clamp to the dead battery’s positive (+) terminal.
- Other red clamp to the good battery’s positive (+) terminal.
- Black clamp to the good battery’s negative (-) terminal.
- Last black clamp to bare, unpainted metal on the dead vehicle’s engine or a ground point – away from the battery.
- Start the working vehicle, let it run a few minutes, then try to start the other.
- Remove the clamps in the reverse order.
With a portable jump starter
A lithium jump starter lets you start the car without a second vehicle. Make sure it is charged, connect red to positive and black to ground as the unit’s instructions describe, then switch it on and start the car. Recharge it after use and every few months in storage.
After the jump
Drive for at least 20-30 minutes to recharge, and have the battery and charging system tested – a battery that needed a jump may be near the end of its life. call the parts counter at (909) 623-3151 for help choosing cables, a jump starter or a new battery.