How to Jump Start a Car

If your car won’t turn over, then you likely just need a jump start, car battery service, or another related issue. Not sure how to jump start a car? The team at Douglass Nissan of Waco has written up this convenient guide on how to properly jump start a car so you won’t have to call a jump start car service! If your battery is nearing the end of its life, visit our service center near Woodway for a replacement.

The Proper Way to Jump Start a Car

While you can call a jump start car service like AAA, it’s easy enough to do it yourself if you know how. For starters, you’ll need a set of jumper cables and another, working vehicle. Once you’ve got that settled, follow these steps:

• Park both cars so that both batteries can be reached with your jumper cables. Check to make sure both cars have their parking brakes engaged, and that both are turned off.
• Locate the batteries of each vehicle. You may need to remove a plastic hood to expose the battery terminals.
• Identify the positive and negative terminals on each battery. Make sure they’re free of any corrosion or buildup.
• Connect the red clamp to the positive post on the dead battery.
• Connect the remaining red clamp to the positive terminal of the battery on the running vehicle.
• Connect the black clamp to the negative post on the working battery.
• Connect the last remaining clamp to a ground. Use an unpainted metal surface your car’s frame, or a designated ground, if applicable.
• Start the engine of the vehicle with the good battery first.
• Attempt to start the dead vehicle, waiting an additional few minutes if it does not jump start right away.
• Once the dead vehicle has been jump-started, 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.
• Keep the engine running on the restarted vehicle for at least 10 minutes to allow your alternator to properly charge your battery. Consult your owner’s manual for more info on recommended times.

More Battery Tips and Tricks

Your car won’t jump start? It can be a frustrating situation, and you may need a battery replacement, or even extensive repairs. If your car won’t jump start, take a look at these troubleshooting tips:

• If you try and start the car but only hear a clicking sound, the starter might not be functioning. Schedule service at Douglass Nissan of Waco near Hewitt for a replacement.
• If the electrical systems of the car turn on, but the engine fails to turn over, the problem could be a number of issues. The ignition switch, battery, starter, or a fuse could be the root of the issue. Regardless, it’s important to head over to our service center near McGregor so we can diagnose the issue.
• Be sure to keep your vehicle running for a while after getting the jump. Your alternator needs a chance to fully recharge your battery to ensure you won’t need to jump start a car battery again!

Turn to Douglass Nissan of Waco for Service

Do you have any questions for our service experts? Contact Douglass Nissan of Waco near Robinson, and we’ll be more than happy to help you with any Nissan service tips. We’d also love to help you learn about good mileage on a used car or how to clean car seats. Also, be sure to learn more about tire rotations with our team today.