Car Jumping 101

May 28, 2021

Maintenance is part of owning a car. From changing the oil to getting new Firestone tires Greenville NC, keeping your car in tip-top shape is a great way to keep your car on the road longer. Cars can be confusing and complicated sometimes, but there are a few things that most people can do themselves. Jump-starting a car is one of those things. Most people rarely have to jump their car, but car batteries seem to need a jumpstart at the most inconvenient times. It’s important to have your own set of jumper cables and know how to do it in a time of need. In this situation, the car that needs to be jumped is Car A, and the car jumping it is Car B.

  1. Park Car B close to Car A, and make sure both vehicles are completely off.
  2. Pop both cars’ hoods, find the batteries, and make sure that the jumper cables are ready to be used.
  3. Hook the red (+) clamp to the positive (+) knob on Car A’s battery. Then, attach the other red (+) clamp to the positive (+) knob on Car B’s battery. After that, attach the black (-) clamp to an unpainted metal surface on Car A. 
  4. Start Car B, then Car A. Then, remove the black (-) clamp, Car B’s red (+) clamp, and then Car A’s red (+) clamp in that order.
  5. Let Car A run for at least 15 minutes, whether it’s stationary or driving.

If Car A doesn’t start, try checking the connections of the clamps. If it still doesn’t start, the battery might be too far gone.

Car batteries should be replaced every three years or so, depending on your driving habits and where you live. If it’s about that time for your car, you might need to get a new battery. Luckily, it’s easy to tell when your battery is starting to die. If your headlights appear dim, you can put your car in park and rev the engine. If the lights appear brighter as you push on the gas, you’ll need to get a new battery soon. You can also get your battery checked at Firestone tires Greenville nc when you take it in to get routine maintenance. If your battery has wear and tear on it, it’s best to get it replaced as soon as possible so you don’t have to worry about breaking down or needing a jump. 

If you do happen to break down before you are able to get your battery replaced, you can use the steps above to jump your car or have it towed to Firestone tires Greenville NC and they can get it fixed right up for you at a fair price.