A dead Battery doesn’t have to mean a call to roadside assistance. Jumper cables are an important tool for any driver to have and anyone can learn how to use car jumper cables safely and effectively. This guide will walk you through the steps of how to safely use jumper cables to start your car.

Before getting started there are a few tips to keep in mind.

• Make sure that the two cars are not touching one another.
• Ensure that the voltage on both batteries is the same.
• It’s a good idea to consult the owner’s manuals of both cars to check for any special safety instructions.

1. Turn off both cars

Before anything else, it is important that certain safety precautions are taken. Ensure that both cars’ ignitions are off, that the cars are in neutral or park, and that the parking brakes are on. Only then should you pull out the jumper cables and open the hood.

2. Attach the red cord to the positive side of both batteries

First, to use jumper cables, take one side of the red cord and attach it to the positive side of the dead battery. The positive side will be clearly marked with ‘POS’ or ‘+’ and it may be larger than the negative side. Ensure that the cable is firmly attached before moving on. Repeat the process with the other car’s battery. Both sides of the red cord must be connected to the batteries before proceeding.

3. Attach the black cord to the negative terminal of the good battery

Take the black cord and attach the clip to the negative terminal of the live battery only. This terminal may be the smaller of the two and will be marked with ‘NEG’ or ‘-’. Once this clip is firmly in place, then you can move on. Do not attach the other side of the black cord to the dead battery.

4. Attach the other side of the black cord to an unpainted metal piece of the dead battery’s car

Attach the other side of the black cord to an unpainted piece of metal on your car. The strut that supports the car’s hood is the best place to attach it. Make sure that you don’t attach it to painted metal to avoid damaging the paint.

Before moving on, ensure that both sides of the red cord are attached to the positive sides of the batteries of both cars and that only one side of the black cord is attached to the dead battery.

5. Start the vehicle with the live battery

Start the car with the live battery and let it run for a few minutes. Don’t try to jump the other car immediately as it may not work.

6. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery

Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery. If the car does not start, then turn the ignitions off in both cars and let them sit for a few minutes before checking to make sure that the jumper cables have a good connection on both batteries. Once the connection is checked, repeat this step. If the car with the battery still will not start then it may be more serious than a dead battery and will likely need to be replaced.

If the car does start then do not turn it off! Drive around for a minimum of 15 or 20 minutes to allow the battery to gain some charge before turning it off again. If you do not, the battery will die again and you’ll be right back where you started.

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