How to jump start a car

How to jump start a car

A dead car battery can happen to anyone. Maybe you accidentally left a light on or didn't close the trunk properly and the next thing you know, your car won't start.

Since jump starting a car isn't something they teach you in drivers ed, we've put together a simplified list to help you.

What you need:

  • Jumper cables
  • A charged battery either via a working car or a portable battery

What you need to know:

  • Positive cables are indicated by the plus symbol and are typically red
  • Negative cables are indicated by the minus symbol and are typically black
  • Don't let the clamps touch each other during the jump start process

How to jump start a car from another car in 10 steps

  1. Drive a car with a working battery near your vehicle, but not touching it. Make sure both cars are turned off and the keys are removed from the ignition.
  2. Open your hood. Connect the positive clamp (the red cable) of the dead battery first. Clamp it on the positive terminal indicated on the battery by a plus sign.
  3. Place the negative clamp (the black cable) aside somewhere where is it not touching anything metal. You'll go back for it in a minute.
  4. Go over to the car that's working. Connect the positive clamp to the positive battery terminal and the negative cable (the black cable) to the negative terminal, as indicated by the minus sign.
  5. Go back to the car that won't start and take the negative clamp but don't connect it to the negative battery terminal. Doing so can cause sparks and may cause an ignition or even an explosion. Instead, you need to find a grounding point like a bare piece of metal that is not a moving part or attached to any wires. Check your owner's manual as it may have a recommended grounding point.
  6. Turn on the working car and allow it to run for a minute or two so it has time to send a charge to the dead battery
  7. Now, you can try to turn on your car. If this doesn't work, turn the car off and allow the running car to charge your battery for 2-5 minutes before trying again. If this still doesn't work, turn the cars off and check to make sure your negative cable is securely connected to a bare/unpainted piece of metal.
  8. Once the car is up and running, you can turn both vehicles off.
  9. Remove the negative terminal first on the dead battery, followed by the positive cable (don't allow the clamps to touch).
  10. Remove the positive cable followed by the negative cable on the working car. Don't allow clamps to touch anything until all are disconnected.

Watch this video from YouTuber Chris Fix showing a detailed process.

How to jump start a car with a booster pack in 5 steps

The other option is to jump start the car with a portable booster kit. These can be handy, especially when no other vehicles are around. They are small and can be kept in your trunk, but they do need to be charged again after you use them.

  1. Open the hood and make sure your booster pack is turned off
  2. Connect the positive cable to the positive terminal
  3. Connect the negative cable to a grounding point – a bare, unpainted piece of metal such as a bolt (some models may allow you to clamp directly to the negative terminal. Be sure to read your manual)
  4. Turn the booster pack on to begin charging. Some models may not have this feature and may automatically start charging once a connection is felt.
  5. Try turning your vehicle on.

Here's a video from Canadian Tire that shows the process of jump starting a car with a booster pack.

Always consult your owner's manual before jump starting a car to find out where the recommended grounding points on your vehicle are.

We hope you found these guidelines helpful. For more auto and driving tips, check out our blog here.