How to Jump Start a Car

If you can’t get your car to start in Belleville, there is a chance your car battery may have died. Learn how to jump start a car properly with a quick and easy guide from Auffenberg CDJR, and avoid getting stranded around Shiloh again.

How to Properly Jump Start a Car

You have two options to jump start your car: you can do it yourself or call for help. If you want help you can call a jump start car service like AAA, or your insurance company may offer this service if you have roadside assistance. If you want to get back on the road sooner, make sure you carry a set of jumper cables with you and find another car. Then follow these simple steps:

• Park the vehicles so they are facing one another and engage their parking brakes.
• Make sure the vehicle with the good battery is turned off.
• Locate both batteries by opening the vehicle hoods, there may be a plastic hood covering the battery terminal.
• Identify the positive and negative terminals. Make sure they’re clean and free of any corrosion.
• Connect the red clamp to the positive post on the dead battery.
• Hook the red clamp on the other end of the coil to the positive terminal of the battery with the charge.
• Connect the black clamp to the negative post on the good battery.
• Connect the final clamp to an unpainted metal surface on the car’s frame.
• When everything is in place, start the vehicle with the good battery followed by the vehicle with the dead battery.

My Car Won’t Start

If no matter what you do your car won’t start, it may be time to replace your battery or a sign of another serious problem. Check for the following issues, and then contact the Auffenberg CDJR service center if needed:

• Make sure to keep your vehicle running for a while post jump to ensure the battery is fully charged.
• If you attempt to start the car and just hear a clicking noise, that can be a signal that your starter isn’t working.
• If the electrical systems of the car turn on, but the engine won’t turn over you could be looking at a number of issues including problems with the starter, ignition switch, battery, or a fuse.

Turn to Auffenberg CDJR for Service

If your battery is running low on juice or you think your alternator might be the problem, schedule an appointment at Auffenberg CDJR for a replacement. Our service center is located just a short trip from Smithton and is equipped to diagnose check engine lights, check fluids, or do major repairs. Our other guides can also detail the dangers of not changing your oil, or what it means when your car shakes when you brake. Contact us with any questions, and feel free to browse similar guides, like our one that focuses in on how you can effectively clean car floor mats. Want more battery tips? Buy a battery from our parts center and learn how to remove a car battery so you can do a DIY replacement!