How to Jump-Start a Car If Your Battery Is Flat

Most car owners know that cars with an old, worn-out battery may not start in cold weather. Although on cold days, even owners of new cars may encounter similar difficulties. Cold slows down the chemical reaction inside the battery and can cause starting problems.

5-Minute Crafts would like to tell you about how to jump-start your car if your car battery is flat.

How to tell that your battery is flat

Before trying to jump-start your car, make sure that the cause of your problems is a flat battery. Try starting the car by turning the key in the ignition. If you hear the sound of an engine, then the problem is not in the dead battery. However, if the car doesn’t make any sounds when the key is turned, it is likely that the battery is discharged.

What you should do before jump-starting your car

1. Inspect the battery to make sure it’s not damaged or leaking.

2. Check the key. During the time when you’re trying to jump-start your car, it should not be in the ignition.

3. Remove metal jewelry from your hands so that it doesn’t accidentally touch the battery during recharging.

4. Prepare everything you need to recharge the battery in advance: 2 jump leads (a black negative lead and a red positive lead), another car with a charged battery, and gloves and goggles for safety.

How to jump-start your car

Step 1: Park the car with the good battery nose to nose with the one you need to start.

This should be done due to the fact that most vehicles have their battery in the engine compartment. If one of the cars has a battery in the trunk, park the cars close enough that the jumper cables will reach.

❗ Please note: the cars should be close enough, but not touching each other.

Step 2: Make sure both cars’ engines are turned off.

Open the hoods of the cars and find both batteries. Then put on gloves and goggles.

Step 3: Determine where the negative and positive battery terminals are.

Battery terminals are usually marked with “+” and “-”. The wire running from the car to the positive terminal is red, the wire to the negative terminal is black. Also, the positive terminal is often covered by a plastic cap, which should be removed when charging.

❗ When implementing the following steps, make sure none of the jumper cable’s clamps are touching one another.

Step 4: Attach one end of the red jumper cable to the positive terminal of the flat battery.

Step 5: Connect the other end of the same cable to the positive terminal of a good battery in the other vehicle.

Step 6: Connect one end of the black (negative) cable to the negative terminal of a charged battery.

Step 7: Connect the other end of the black (negative) cable to a clean, unpainted metal surface under the disabled car’s hood.

An unpainted bolt head sticking out from the body or any other metal part will do.

❗ Don’t attach the black wire clamp to the negative terminal on a dead battery. This may cause a spark and ignite a fire.

Step 8: Start the car with a charged battery.

Let it run for 2-3 minutes, and then try to start the car whose battery is flat. If it still doesn’t start, let the other car stay idle for 10-15 minutes and then try again. If the car doesn’t start again, then the battery is probably beyond repair and needs to be replaced.

Step 9: After the car starts, leave both cars running for 10 minutes.

Then unplug the cables in the reverse order you attached them. First, remove the black clamp from the car that had a dead battery. Then remove the black clamp from the other car. Then remove the red clamp from the car with a good battery, and remove the red clamp from the car that had a dead battery.

Step 10: Leave the car running for at least another 20 minutes.

Then take a short 30-minute drive before parking your car again. This will help the battery to fully charge.