CHARLOTTE – This is a reworked article from 2012. For our full back catalog, check out www.autorepairminthill.com or www.minthilltimes.com.
Batteries are oftentimes perceived as super dangerous to touch due to their nature of being a storage unit for a lot of power, but if you know how to jump start your battery properly it is perfectly safe for you to do on your own. Below are the steps to safely jump start a battery:
- Turn off the engine and all electrical accessories
- Connect one of the positive (+) cable clamps to the positive terminal of the discharged battery
- Connect the positive clamp from the other end of the jumper cable to the positive (+) terminal of the good battery
- Connect the clamp from the negative jumper cable to the negative (-) terminal of the good battery
- Connect the negative cable clamp on the other end of the jumper cable to the bad battery.
- Make sure that the jumper cables are clear of all moving parts and start the engine of the vehicle with the discharged battery. To remove the cables, reverse the connection order.
If you still do not comfortable with doing this on your own, the best course of action is to have professionals come and service your battery on the spot or you can get a tow, but remember that those services may be more expensive than jumping a battery yourself.
Questions? Call Manchester Auto and Tire of Mint Hill, LLC at (704) 545-4597.
