Battery Down? Here’s How to Jumpstart Your Car

Nothing grinds your gears faster than hopping into your car, turning the key, and getting greeted by a lifeless engine. We’ve all been there, and the frustration is real. If you’re dealing with a dead battery, don’t worry. Jumpstarting your car, truck, or SUV is easier than you think! With some knowledge and the right tools, you can quickly get your vehicle back on the road. If you need a new battery, schedule service with our team.

Understanding the Basics of Why Batteries Die

Think of your car’s battery as the beating heart of your vehicle, vital for supplying the spark that ignites your engine into life and for keeping your car’s electrical accessories humming along. But, like all things, car batteries aren’t invincible. A car’s battery lasts around three to five years. And we’re talking about the 12-volt battery that runs the accessories in your vehicle rather than a hybrid or EV battery that makes your car go. (Fun fact: Even EVs have 12-volt batteries for the electrical accessories for safety reasons.)

There are several culprits for a battery losing its charge. You may have accidentally left the lights on overnight or made too many short trips, preventing the battery from fully recharging. Extreme weather conditions can also drain your battery. And sometimes, batteries just reach the end of their lifespan and wave a white flag (batteries last up to five years). No matter how well you drive, your car battery will give out sometime. That’s simply the physics of how batteries work. Dead batteries are the leading cause of electrical system failures in vehicles, often cited as the single most common issue.

Equip Yourself With The Right Tools

To successfully jumpstart your car, there’s some essential gear you’re going to need. First on your list should be a robust set of jumper cables as part of your vehicle’s emergency kit. Ensure they’re long enough to connect to another car’s battery while allowing ample space between both vehicles. 

Don’t skimp on quality when it comes to jumper cables. Opt for cables with heavy-duty clamps for secure connection to the battery terminals. 

Personal safety is paramount, so remember to include a pair of protective gloves and safety glasses in your toolbox. So, before you get started, ensure you’re fully equipped to deal with a dead battery like a seasoned pro. Safety glasses and gloves can help protect you from any wayward sparks. 

Dos and Don’ts of Jumpstarting

Handling a dead battery may not be the most delightful of tasks. But it’s certainly not as complicated as quantum physics. However, knowing the dos and don’ts of jumpstarting your car is crucial to your success and safety. 

Do: When connecting batteries, always ensure they have a similar voltage (12 volts is normal) to avoid frying your car’s electrical system. 

Do: Be vigilant about the battery’s condition. If it’s cracked or oozing battery acid, steer clear! 

Don’t: Jumpstart a compromised battery. Your battery could catch fire or explode.

Do: Attach the positive (red) cables to the red terminals first.

Don’t: Let the clamps touch each other once they’re connected to the batteries. This will lead to sparks.

How to Properly Jumpstart a Car

Before you jumpstart a car, you need a second vehicle to make this work. You’ll also need a robust set of jumper cables that are at least 10 feet long to make sure you have enough slack for them.  If a friend or family member isn’t available and you don’t feel comfortable recruiting a stranger to help you, you may wish to just call a jumpstart car service or a tow truck.

1. Have the two vehicles face each other with the batteries as close as possible. Most vehicles have batteries in the engine compartment. 
2. After you’ve parked the vehicles, turn them off and set the parking brakes so they don’t accidentally roll away. 
3. Raise the hood on both vehicles to locate the batteries. 
4. Find the positive and negative battery terminals. The positive terminal is typically red, while the negative terminal is usually black.
5. Get out the jumper cables. 
6. Separate the red ends from the black ends. Make sure the ends of the jumper cables don’t touch each other. 
7. Connect a red clamp to the positive post on the dead battery.
8. Clip the other red clamp to the battery’s positive terminal with the charge.
9. Connect the black clamp to the negative post on the good battery. 
10. Connect the last black clamp to a grounded, unpainted metal surface on your car’s frame. Look for a metal bar or part that keeps a portion of the engine in place. 
11. PRO TIP: Connecting the jumper cables in this order is vitally important. Otherwise, jumpstarting your vehicle won’t work.
12. At this point, the electrical connections are made, so do not touch the clamps or the terminals. You could cause a spark, or you could even drain the good battery, and then the car won’t jumpstart.
13. Start the engine of the vehicle with a good battery. 
14. Let the car with a good battery run for a bit to strengthen the battery.
15. PRO TIP: Gradually press the accelerator of the vehicle with the good battery until the engine’s RPMs get to about 1,500. Idling is around 800 RPMs. This is because when the car with the dead battery starts, it will slightly drain the battery of the good vehicle. The person in the good vehicle will notice a dip in the power when the other vehicle tries to start the engine.
16. Try starting the engine of the vehicle with the dead battery. 
17. If the vehicle with the dead battery starts, carefully remove the jumper cables in the reverse order they were placed while keeping both vehicles running. So, remove the black clamp from the unpainted metal surface first, then remove the other black clamp, then the red clamp on the good vehicle, then the red clamp on the vehicle that needed the jumpstart.
18. Keep the engine running on the jumpstarted vehicle for at least 10 minutes. This will allow the alternator to recharge the battery for a time.
19. Keep driving!
20. If you notice you need a jumpstart again after turning your engine off once you get home or to a vehicle service center, there might be another problem with your vehicle.

Additional Car Battery Tips & Tricks

There are plenty of reasons why your vehicle may not be starting. If your car won’t jumpstart, there may be something else going on beyond the battery. These repairs may require a service center to diagnose. 

1. If you try to start the car but only hear a clicking sound, the starter might not be functioning. 
2. If the electrical systems of the car turn on, but the engine does not, then the issue could stem from the ignition switch, starter, or even something as simple as a fuse. It’s worth bringing your vehicle to a qualified service center to investigate the problem further.
3. If your battery light remains on even after you jumpstart the car or if you frequently need to jumpstart the car battery, it might be a problem with the alternator not recharging the battery when the vehicle runs. We highly recommend coming to a service center for a new alternator. 
4. Don’t forget to keep your vehicle running for a while after it’s received a jump. That allows the battery to recharge some after it’s been completely drained. 
5. If you don’t want to rely on another vehicle to jumpstart your vehicle, you can invest in a portable car generator to bring your battery back to life.

Boost Your Knowledge, Boost Your Car

If your vehicle is having problems with the battery or other electrical components, the service team at Thompson Sales would be happy to help! Contact us or call (417) 763-6811. We’re happy to help in any way we can!