How to Jump Start a Car?
3 Answers
Prepare two jumper cables and a vehicle that can supply power. Remove the buckle of the battery box to open the battery protective cover, exposing the positive and negative terminals of the battery. All operations on the battery should be performed with the engine turned off. Take one jumper cable, connect one end to the positive terminal of the dead battery and the other end to the positive terminal of the live battery. Be careful not to let the positive and negative terminals come into contact, as this could cause a short circuit. Take the other jumper cable, connect one end to the negative terminal of the live battery, and then connect the other end to the engine block or body of the dead vehicle. Avoid connecting negative to negative. After connecting the cables, start the live vehicle to provide a reliable voltage to the dead vehicle.
I've jump-started a car several times, usually when the battery suddenly dies. First, prepare a working car that can start normally. It's best to have both cars facing each other head-to-head for easier operation. Get a set of jumper cables and connect the red clamp to the positive terminal (marked with a red sign) of the battery. Never reverse the connection, as it may cause a short circuit and damage electronic devices. Connect the black clamp to the negative terminal of the donor car first, then ground the other end to an unpainted metal part of the dead battery car's engine, such as a bolt or bracket, to avoid sparks. Once everything is connected, start the donor car and let it run for about 5 minutes to charge the battery. Then try starting the dead battery car. If it starts successfully, turn off the engine, remove the black clamp from the dead battery car first, then the red one, and finally disconnect the clamps from the donor car. Always prioritize safety during the process—wear gloves and avoid touching metal contact points. If it doesn't work the first time, check all connections for security or consider if the battery is too old and needs replacement. I think this is a basic skill every driver should know—it saves time and avoids the need to call a tow truck.
When I first learned to drive, I didn't know how to jump-start a car. Once, my car stalled in a parking lot, and I was extremely anxious. Fortunately, a friend came to help and briefly taught me the steps: prepare another working car and jumper cables, park both cars close to each other and steady. Attach the red clamp to the dead battery's positive terminal and the working battery's positive terminal, ensuring a firm connection. Attach the black clamp to the working battery's negative terminal, and ground the other end to any clean metal on the dead battery car's engine—avoid directly clamping to the negative terminal to prevent sparks. Start the working car and let it run for a few minutes to charge, then attempt to start the dead battery car. Once successfully started, slowly turn off the dead car's engine, disconnect all clamps, and finally drive away the working car. Remember this sequence, especially when removing the cables, starting from the grounded part. After learning this, I never worried about the embarrassment of a car not starting again—it's much faster than asking for help.
