How to Jump-Start a Car Battery

It is always a good idea for your teen to know some basic vehicle maintenance. Making sure they know how to do basic vehicle maintenance SAFELY is also VERY important. Here are some tips on how to safely jump-start a car battery.

Enjoy! - Bill Gough

Remember to:

• ALWAYS wear eye protection or eyeglasses when you jump-start a vehicle
• ALWAYS make sure the cables will be clear of any moving engine parts when the cars are started
• NEVER smoke while jump-starting a vehicle
• ALWAYS start with the ignition in both vehicles turned OFF

Please remember that improper jump-starting can damage the car's electrical components. Consult your car owner’s manual. Jump-starting a car can be dangerous; do it only if you know how.

Find a friend or family member with another car. The cars must not be touching and both ignitions should be off. Each battery has two metal terminals on it. One is marked positive (+); the other is negative (-).

Step 1: Attach one end of one cable to the dead battery's positive terminal. Step 2: Attach the other end of the same cable to the positive terminal of the battery in the starting vehicle. Step 3: Attach one end of the other cable to the negative terminal of the battery in the starting vehicle. Step 4: Attach the other end of that cable to the engine block, or frame, of the car with the dead battery. Look for unpainted metal surfaces. Do not attach the negative cable to the dead battery itself, and do not attach it to the frame anywhere near the battery. Step 5: Start the car that's providing the jump-start. Wait a moment and then try to start the car with the dead battery. If it does not start, stop trying and wait a few moments longer. Try again for no more than thirty seconds. Step 6: After the dead car is running, remove the cable connections in the reverse order that you put them on. That means that the first disconnection is from the frame, and the last is from the positive terminal of the car that has just been started.

c 2008 Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, 175 Berkeley Street, Massachusetts 02116