How to Jump Start a Car

If you’ve ever been in a position where your car won’t start, then you already know how important it is to know how to jump start a car. The Bob Moore Auto Group has assembled everything you need to know in the space below. Find out how to jump start a car the right way by reading on!

The Proper Way to Jump Start a Car

When you’re getting ready to jump start your car battery, you should find a set of jumper cables and another vehicle you can use to get a jolt. Once you have this equipment, simply take the following steps to get back on the roads near Tulsa or Oklahoma City:

• Take the car with a good battery and park it close to the dead vehicle, so that their hoods are almost touching. Engage both parking brakes and make sure both vehicles are turned off before you go further.
• Open both hoods and locate each battery. In some cases, the battery might be covered by a plastic hood.
• Identify the positive (red) and negative (black) terminals on both batteries. If they’re clean and free of corrosion, you’re ready to proceed.
• Connect the red clamp to the positive terminal on the dead battery
• Uncoil the battery cable and hook up the other red clamp to the positive terminal on the live vehicle.
• While you’re facing the good battery, connect the black end of the cable to the negative terminal.
• Going back to the vehicle with the dead battery, connect the last black cable clamp to a flat, unpainted metal surface on the car’s frame.
• With all the connections in their proper places, start the engine of the working vehicle, and let it run for a few moments. This will pass a charge to the once-dead battery.

• Try to start the car with the dead battery. If your car won’t jump start, you might need to call a jump start car service like AAA.
• If the car starts up right away, carefully remove the cables, reversing the order in which you connected them. Don’t let the ends touch until all parts have been removed.
• The car that was just jump-started should run for ten minutes or more, so the battery can recharge. The other car can be shut off right away.

How to Jump Start a Hybrid Car

If you drive a hybrid or electric car, you may be wondering “Can you jump start an electric car or hybrid car it as well?” Luckily, the process for jump starting hybrid and electric cars is pretty similar to jumping a gas-powered vehicle. Unlike conventional gasoline engines, hybrid vehicles usually have two different batteries—a 12-volt battery and a lithium-ion or nickel hybrid battery, but the steps you follow to jump your hybrid are the same as jumping a vehicle with a conventional engine, including:

1. Find another vehicle that’s working and put it head-to-head with your car.
2. Turn off the other car.
3. Make sure both cars’ parking brakes are on.
4. Pop the hood of both vehicles.
5. Get a set of jumper cables out.
6. Clamp a red clip onto the positive terminal of your car’s 12-volt battery.
7. Clamp the other red clip onto the other car’s positive terminal.
8. Clamp a black clip onto the other car’s negative terminal.
9. Clamp the other black clip onto an unpainted metal surface on your vehicle to ground it.
10. Turn the other car on, and wait a few minutes.
11. Turn on your car.
12. If your vehicle fails to turn on after a few tries, the battery may be permanently dead and you may need to call for a tow.

So, the answer to the question “Can you jump start a hybrid car” is yes! You absolutely can.

More Battery Tips and Tricks

If your jump start doesn’t proceed as planned, then you might be understandably frustrated. Take advantage of these tips to narrow down the range of possible issues and figure out how to get back to your life:

• Perhaps you try to start the car, but you’re only hearing a clicking sound. In these cases, your battery is probably fine, but your starter may be malfunctioning.
• If you’re able to get your car’s electrical systems to turn on, but your engine still won’t start, you might be facing an issue with your ignition switch, starter, or fuses. A completely dead battery might also be at fault.
• If you’re able to jump start the car, but the battery dies again soon after you get on the road. You might be dealing with a weak alternator.

Ready to solve your problems? Schedule service with your local Bob Moore Auto Group service center. Find a location near you today!

Turn to the Bob Moore Auto Group for Battery Service

Whether you need emergency maintenance or you’re scheduling a routine oil change, the experts on our team can help! Our Oklahoma car dealerships and service centers are accessible from as far out as Dallas, and it’s easy to set up your visit online. We’re also a top source for replacement batteries and auto parts in OKC! Contact us if you have any questions like what you should keep in your vehicle in the event of an emergency, how often to change spark plugs, when to replace your tires, how to check your oil level, or would like information on our current pricing. We can also help you compare buying vs. leasing or show you the Jeep Gladiator engine before you stop in!