Jump-starting a car is easier than it looks, and doing it successfully can be the difference between waiting for a mechanic and driving away in minutes. As your Ford dealer, we’d like to share with you the easy steps to jump-start a car.
Position Your Car
In this example, you’ll be jump-starting another car with a dead battery. Before you position your car, check the location of the battery in the other vehicle. It’s usually under the hood, but some vehicles have the battery in the trunk. Once you know where the battery is, park your car so the front of your Ford is as close as possible to the other vehicle’s battery.
Connect the Cables
When you look at your jumper cables, you’ll note that one is black and the other is red, and they have clamps on the ends. The clamps have jagged edges to allow them to grip the terminals securely. The colors of the cables are important, as the red cable connects to the positive terminal, and the black cable connects to the negative terminal.
This all sounds easy, and it is, but the two cables must be connected in a precise order. If one of the cables is positioned incorrectly, recharging won’t work, and you could start an engine fire. We’ll look at the connections step by step.
Red Cable
Connect one side of the red cable to the positive terminal on the dead battery. It’s easy to identify, as the positive terminal has either a red cover or a + sign engraved on it. Ensure the clamp is securely connected so it can’t move. Take the other end of the red cable and connect it to the positive terminal on your battery.
Black Cable
You’re halfway there. Next, take one end of the black cable and connect it to the negative terminal on your battery. To make the final connection, attach the last clamp on the black cable to any unpolished metal part of the engine in the other vehicle.
Time to Jump-Start
Switch on your engine and alow it to idle for several minutes. This allows electricity to flow from your battery into the dead battery. After a few minutes, try and start the the other vehicle’s engine. If it starts successfully, allow it to run for a few minutes before you disconnect the cables.
If the other vehicle doesn’t start, return to your car and continue to idle for another 10 to 15 minutes. This should give the dead battery enough juice to start its engine. Once the engine starts, you’ve successfully jump-started your first car.
If you’d like to know more about this process, visit us today at Chestatee Ford in Dahlonega, GA.
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