How to Jump Start a Car

It can happen at any time. You’re getting ready to go on a drive to Danville, but your vehicle won’t start. If you find yourself in this situation, it can become stressful, but there isn’t any reason to panic. You likely just need to jump start a car, and then you’ll be able to get back on the road in no time. But if you’re not sure where to start, or don’t know how to jump start a car by yourself, you can find out more with Vermilion Chevrolet below.

Learning how to jump start a car with cables is a valuable skill and should be something that you’re aware of, especially before going on a long road trip. Fortunately, jump-starting a vehicle isn’t complicated, even if you’re not sure which battery terminal to connect to first. Today, the service experts from Vermilion Chevrolet will help you learn how to jump-start a dead battery and touch on the following items:

• How to hook up jumper cables
• Which battery terminal to connect to first?
• How do you jump start a car by yourself?
• What if your car doesn’t start after a jump-start?

How To Hook Up Jumper Cables

As we mentioned, it’s important that you know how to jump start a car with cables, as well as how long does it take to jump start a car. Knowing this information can help decrease your chances of being stranded on the side of the road in Champaign. Before we touch on how to hook up jumper cables and which battery terminals to connect to first, you’ll want to make sure that you have another vehicle with a working battery and a set of jumper cables. With that out of the way, let’s get started:

1. The vehicle with the working battery should be parked across from the vehicle with the dead battery.
2. Ensure the parking brake is engaged on both vehicles.
3. Locate the battery terminals on each vehicle. You’ll want to look for the positive and negative terminals specifically.
4. On the vehicle with the non-working battery, connect the red jumper cable to the positive terminal.
5. Connect the other red jumper cable to the positive terminal of the vehicle with the working battery.
6. The black jumper cable should now be attached to the negative terminal of the vehicle with the working battery.
7. The final black jumper cable should be grounded by connecting it to an unpainted metal surface on the vehicle with the non-working battery.
8. Start the working vehicle and leave the cables attached and the engine running for a few minutes.
9. Start the vehicle with the dead battery. If successfully started, remove the jumper cables in the reverse order that you put them on.

The jump-start process can vary depending on your specific make or model so keep that in mind, as well as how long does it take to jump start a car! You might be asking yourself, can you jump start a car by yourself? The short answer is no, because you’re going to need something that you can use to give your battery that extra power. However, there are some portable batteries that you can purchase that may be able to do the trick.

What If Your Car Still Doesn’t Start?

In many cases, your vehicle not starting after a jump-start could mean a number of issues are at play. We suggest you schedule a service appointment if you fail to get your vehicle started. Here’s some additional information about why your vehicle may not start:

• If you hear a clicking sound while trying to start your vehicle, you might need a new starter.
• If everything else works in your vehicle except for your engine starting, it could be various components of your vehicle causing the problem. Everything from an ignition switch to a fuse.
• If your vehicle starts after a jump start but doesn’t stay running, you may need a new alternator or another component could be failing.

Enjoy More Advice From Vermilion Chevrolet

If you’re curious about the different services that you can expect from Vermilion Chevrolet, then contact us today, and we’ll help get you inside in no time. Our service center is ready to make it easier than ever to get back onto the road in no time.