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Stuck out in the cold? How to safely jump start your car!

posted on 3/15/2022 3:24:00 PM

Picture this: you’re walking across a parking lot toward your car on a cold winter evening. You hop into the driver’s seat, glad to get out of the cold. You insert the key in the ignition and turn...then nothing. You try again, only to be greeted with a few sputters from the starter. Yikes.

So, what do you do? You could call a tow truck or give AAA a ring. Or, you can jump start your car! Not sure where to start? Read on and listen to our podcast below for tried-and-true tips from our experienced automotive team. We’ll explain everything you need to know to jump start your vehicle properly and safely.

What is a jump start?

Think of a jump start as an energy boost for your vehicle. It’s an easy and efficient way to move power from the battery of a running vehicle to the battery in a dead car. After enough power has been transferred, the engine in the dead car can be started. Viola – the heat is on and the day is saved!

What causes car batteries to die?

There are many reasons your car battery might run out of juice. Here are a few of the most common causes:

Leaving a light on in your vehicle
Running accessories while the car is turned off, like charging a device
Prolonged exposure to very hot or cold temperatures (Wisconsin, we’re looking at you)
Your battery may be too old to properly hold a charge – on average, a car battery should be replaced every 5 years!

Signs your Vehicle Needs a Jump Start:

No interior lights
No dashboard warning lights or radio
Little to no sounds from the starter

If lights and accessories do come on, your vehicle’s battery is probably not the problem. Try turning on your headlights while turning the key – if they dim, you are most likely dealing with a starter issue instead.

Safety First

So, you’ve concluded your vehicle needs a jump.

Before you begin, remember that safely is always the #1 priority. Before jump starting your vehicle, take a look at your surroundings. Are you in a safe area? Are other people around? Is it nighttime, and if so, is the parking lot well lit? If you do not feel safe, simply get in your vehicle and pull out your cell phone. Contact family or friends to let them know what’s going on. If someone you know is able to meet you, ask them to do so. And of course, you can always call a non-emergency police number if you are worried about your safety.

What do I need to jump start my vehicle?

Another vehicle with a functioning battery (AKA the donor car)
A jumper cable pack
- P.S. - when buying jumper cables, get the longest set you can find. We suggest cables that are 20 feet! Check out this great resource for additional tips.
Safety glasses and rubber gloves (if you’ve got ‘em)
- What other must-have items should be in your car? Read this blog!

Steps to Jump Start Your Car:

1. Locate the battery in both vehicles.

Almost all vehicles have battery access points under the hood. If you need help, refer to your owner’s manual.

2. Start the engine of the donor vehicle.

The dead vehicle will remain off because, well, it’s dead. Turn off any accessories in the donor vehicle, such as lights and radio. This will allow for more voltage to transfer between the cars.

3. Hook up the jumper cables.

Important: There are red and black connectors on each end of the jumper cables. Red symbolizes “positive” and black represents “negative”. Each car battery will have a positive (+) connection port and a negative (-) connection port, which are also typically red and black. Always be sure these colors match when connecting the cable and the battery.

To minimize the possibility of sparks, you should always connect jumper cables in the proper order:

a. Take one end of the cable and hook the negative connector (black) to the actual cable itself. This inhibits the negative and positive connectors from accidentally touching and causing sparks.

b. Next, take the other end of the cable and hook up the positive connection (red) on the dead car’s battery followed by the negative connection (black).

c. Take the other end of the cable from step A. Unhook the black connector from the cable and hook up the positive connector to the positive port on the donor car battery.

d. Connect the negative connector to a metal component on the donor car as far from the battery as possible. This is called grounding.

4. Let the donor vehicle run.

After 5-10 minutes, try turning on the dead car. If it doesn’t start, wait longer. While often not necessary, jumping a vehicle for 20-30 minutes is not uncommon! And don’t worry, the alternator in the donor car will constantly produce a charge, so you don’t have to worry about doing damage to either vehicle or battery in the process.

Pro Tip: Revving the engine of the donor vehicle can help send higher voltage to the dead battery. Shoot for right around 1,500 RPM.

Your vehicle starts! What now?

Once the dead vehicle is back up and running, do not turn it off. The vehicle’s alternator will need to run for about 30-45 minutes to recharge the battery. You can safety drive the vehicle during this time. In fact, driving will help charge the battery more quickly than letting the car sit idle.

You may now disconnect the jumper cables in the reverse order: take off the negative connection from the donor car, then the positive connection from the donor car, followed by the negative and positive connections on the (previously) dead car. Remember, don’t let the ends of the cables touch during this process.

Finally, you should do a bit of investigating to see if you can find the reason your car died. Was a light switch bumped, a door open or an accessory left on? If you can’t see anything that might have caused the dead battery, it’s a good idea to have your vehicle looked at by automotive professionals as soon as possible. To avoid this inconvenient situation in the future, be sure to replace your battery about every 5 years and keep up on routine maintenance!

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Stuck out in the cold? How to safely jump start your car!

Picture this: you’re walking across a parking lot toward your car on a cold winter evening. You hop into the driver’s seat, glad to get out of the cold. You insert the key in the ignition and turn...then nothing. You try again, only to be greeted with a few sputters from the starter. Yikes.

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