How to Jump-Start a Car

If your battery won’t turn over or your car isn’t starting easily, you most likely need to jump-start the car battery. There’s a proper way to jump-start a car, and Northside Chevrolet in San Antonio is here to help! Learn how to properly jump-start a car and what to do if your car won’t jump start. Visit our parts center in case you may need to replace your battery, and read on to learn how to jump-start a car!

How to Properly Jump-Start a Car

Not sure how to jump-start a car the correct way? There’s an improper and proper way to jump-start a car, and it’s important to know the right way to protect your safety and your car battery. You do not want to jump-start a car the wrong way and cause injuries or costly vehicle damage. Before you can jump-start a car, you will need a few things. You’ll need jumper cables in good condition and another vehicle with a charged battery to help you. Follow these steps for how to jump-start a car and avoid getting stranded in New Braunfels:

1. Park the car with the charged battery so that it’s facing the front of your vehicle, then turn it off. Make sure the parking brakes are working.
2. Open the hoods of both vehicles and find their batteries. Remove the plastic cap to expose the battery terminals if needed.
3. Find the negative and positive terminals, and make sure they’re clean without any corrosion!
4. Connect the first red clamp to the positive post of the dead battery.
5. Uncoil the battery cable completely, then connect the other red clamp to the positive terminal on the battery with charge.
6. Connect a black clamp to the negative post on the healthy battery.
7. Connect the final clamp to an unpainted metal surface on the frame of the car with the dead battery.
8. Once all connections are secure, start the engine of the vehicle with the good battery, then start the vehicle with the dead battery.
9. With the jump-start car battery steps complete, carefully remove the jumper cables but in reverse order that they were put on.
10. The vehicle with the dead battery should be kept running for at least 10 minutes to be sure it doesn’t die again.

What To Do if Your Car Won’t Jump-Start

What if you followed our jump-start car tips, but the car still won’t jump-start? If you just purchased a new Chevrolet and you accidentally leave your lights on all day, draining the battery, you’ll be pleased to know that your new Chevy comes with Roadside Assistance for the first few years of ownership. Ask your sales rep at the time of purchase! If you jump-start the car battery but it doesn’t work, you can call the Roadside Assistance number for jump-start car service! There will be a professional at your location in Schertz or Boerne to show you the proper way to jump-start a car.

If you need jump-start car service but your Roadside Assistance has expired, you can also call AAA or check whether your insurance plan includes roadside assistance.

Schedule Service at Northside Chevrolet!

Contact us to schedule an appointment if you’re having continued car battery trouble. Our experts will inspect your battery and let you know if it’s time for a replacement, or if there is another issue causing your jump-start car battery troubles. Have additional service questions, like how to check transmission fluid? All you need to do is contact us today!