How to Jump Start a Car

 
Is your vehicle sometimes hard to start? Chances are all you need is a quick jump start. While you can call a jump start car service like AAA, it is easy and often more time-saving to jump start a car yourself. However, you don’t want to keep jump starting your vehicle. Check out our guide on how to properly jump start a car and schedule a service appointment with our service team should you need your vehicle repaired.
 

The Proper Way to Jump Start a Car

Instead of waiting on the side of a Bethlehem road, you can always jump start your car on your own. Simply call up a friend that has a vehicle with a fully charged battery and a set of jumper cables. Once they show up, follow these instructions:

1. Park the car with the good battery facing the other vehicle. Make sure that both vehicles are turned off and that the parking brakes of both vehicles are engaged.
2. Open both hoods and find the batteries. If there are plastic hoods covering the battery terminals, you’ll need to remove them.
3. Identify the positive and negative terminals, and make sure that they are clean and free of any corrosion.
4. Attach the red clamp to the positive post on the dead battery.
5. Attach the other red clamp to the positive terminal of the battery with the charge.
6. Connect the black clamp to the negative post on the good battery.
7. Attach the other black clamp to an unpainted metal surface on the frame of the car with the dead battery.
8. Check to ensure that the clamps are secure, and start the engine of the vehicle with the good battery. Then, start the one with the dead battery.
9. Once you’ve successfully jump-started the car, carefully remove the jumper cables in the reverse order that they were placed on. Then, shut off the car that was used to help jump-start the dead car.
10. Keep the engine running on the restarted vehicle for at least 10 to 15 minutes to ensure that the battery is fully recharged. Consult your owner’s manual for more information on recommended times.

More Battery Tips and Tricks

When your car won’t jump start, this could mean a number of things. It could mean the battery is dead and needs to be replaced or it could be a sign of an issue with the electrical system. Here are a few tips for troubleshooting the issue:

• Do you hear a clicking sound when you turn the key? It could be that the starter isn’t working. Schedule service at Young Mazda, and have our service experts install a new starter for you.
• If the electrical systems of the car come on when you turn the key, but the engine won’t turn over, the problem could be with the ignition switch, battery, starter, or a fuse. Tow the vehicle to our Service Center, where we can diagnose the problem.
• Don’t forget that once you have successfully jump-started your car, you’ll need to keep it running for 10 to 15 minutes in order for the battery to fully recharge.

Contact the Young Mazda Service Center Today!

If you’re in need of a new battery, check out our parts department. With our large inventory and available parts specials, you can save more on the parts you need for your model’s repair job. If you’re needing your transmission fluid checked, contact our service center! In the meantime, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us!