How to Jump-Start a Car

If your vehicle is having trouble starting, you’ll likely need to jump-start your car battery. Follow this guide from Honda of the Desert to learn how to properly jump-start your car battery, and review what to do when your car won’t jump-start either. If your battery is getting near the end of its life, your car won’t jump-start, so you’ll need the help of our service center team to restore your vehicle to working like new again. Feel free to contact us today with any questions or for more information on our jump-start car service. Let us get you back on the Palm Desert and Indio roads as soon as possible

Step-By-Step Process on How to Jump-Start a Car

You always have the option to call a jump-start car service if none of the tips provided below work, but it’s important to know how to jump-start your car battery in case of emergencies. It’s quite an easy process, however, you’ll need another person and another vehicle for this, as well as a set of jumper cables.

We understand that you may not be comfortable recruiting a stranger to help you, especially if you’re in a new area alone, so you can always call a jump-start car service. The step-by-step process of how to jump-start your car is as follows:

1. Face the two vehicles with the batteries facing each other. Most vehicles have batteries in the engines, meaning they’ll usually face hood-hood. Some foreign cars, though, have the battery in the trunk. After you’ve parked the vehicles, turn them off and set the parking brakes.
2. Gain access to the batteries. Note: you may need to remove a plastic hood to expose the battery terminals.
3. Find the positive and negative battery terminals. Make sure they are clean and free of any corrosion or dirt.
4. Take stock of your cables and separate the red ends from the black ends. You don’t want them to touch, ever, as they could spark. Next, connect the red clamp to the positive post on the dead battery.
5. Uncoiling the battery cable, hook the other red clamp to the positive terminal of the battery with the charge.
6. Connect the black clamp to the negative post on the good battery. 
7. Connect the last black clamp to a grounded, unpainted metal surface on your car’s frame.
8. Once everything is hooked up securely, start the engine of the vehicle with the good battery. You may try to start the engine right away, but it’s probably a good idea to let the car with the good battery run for a bit, then try starting the engine of the other vehicle. 
9. Once the dead vehicle has been successfully jump-started, carefully remove the jumper cables in the reverse order that they were placed on, and keep the other vehicle running.
10. Be sure to keep the engine running on the restarted vehicle for at least 10 minutes to ensure that the weak battery doesn’t die again right away. Consult your owner’s manual for more info on recommended times. It’s also recommended that you get your battery tested and/or replaced ASAP.

Additional Car Battery Tips & Tricks

There are plenty of reasons aside from a dead car battery why your Palm Springs vehicle may not be starting. Here are just a few worth noting:

1. If you try to start the car but only hear a clicking sound, the starter might not be functioning. 
2. If the electrical systems of the car turn on, but the engine does not, then the issue could be several things including the ignition switch, starter, or even something as simple as a fuse. It’s worth bringing your vehicle to a qualified service center for further diagnostics and investigation.
3. Don’t forget to keep your vehicle running for a while after it’s received a jump. That allows the battery to recharge some after it’s been completely drained. Note that some batteries still can hold a charge for some time after being jumped; usually, this is the case after a vehicle with a good/newer battery has been sitting idle. A remedy to prevent this is using a battery trickle charger. Sometimes, though, an old and worn-out battery that requires replacing is the reason for a car needing a jump.

Turn to Honda of the Desert for More Car Care Tips

Looking for more service tips to help you learn how to jump-start your car battery? Feel free to explore our manufacturer research! Now that you know how to jump-start your car battery, you’re ready to tackle anything life throws at you! If your car won’t jump-start, our knowledgeable team at Honda of the Desert is here to help. Don’t hesitate to schedule a service appointment at our Cathedral City dealership today.