Tip #11: Jump-start in the right order, and finish on bare metal, not the battery
The safe general order is red to the dead battery's positive, red to the good battery's positive, black to the good battery's negative, and black last to bare, unpainted metal on the dead car away from the battery. Your owner's manual overrides any general guide.
Tip #11 in one line
The safe general order is red to the dead battery's positive, red to the good battery's positive, black to the good battery's negative, and black last to bare, unpainted metal on the dead car away from the battery. Your owner's manual overrides any general guide.
Stuck right now? Skip the reading and call.
Call nowBefore you connect anything
Read the jump-starting section of the owner's manual for both cars. Many modern vehicles have remote jump terminals under the hood, and some hybrids, electric vehicles and cars with start-stop systems have specific instructions or say not to be used as the donor car at all.
Look at the dead battery. If it is swollen, cracked, leaking or frozen, do not jump it; see Tip #12. Make sure both cars are in park or neutral with the parking brake set and the ignition off, and that they are not touching each other.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowThe general connection order
First, one red clamp on the positive terminal of the dead battery. Second, the other red clamp on the positive terminal of the good battery. Third, one black clamp on the negative terminal of the good battery.
Fourth, the last black clamp on a clean, unpainted metal part of the dead car's engine or a grounding point the manual identifies, away from the battery. A battery can give off hydrogen gas, and the last connection can spark, so you want that spark away from it.
Use cables in good condition, with intact insulation and clamps that grip firmly. Thin or damaged cables may not carry enough current, and frayed insulation is a shock and short-circuit risk. Keep hands, hair, scarves and loose clothing away from the fan and belts, which can move even with the engine off on some cars. Wear eye protection if you have it.
Keep the clamps from touching each other at any point while connected.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowStarting and disconnecting
Start the good car and let it run for a few minutes. Then try the dead car. If it does not start, wait a few more minutes before trying again rather than cranking for a long stretch.
Once it runs, remove the clamps in exactly the reverse order: black from the metal ground, black from the good battery, red from the good battery, red from the formerly dead battery. Let the revived car run, or better, drive it, so the alternator can put charge back.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowWhen to call instead
If you have no cables, no second car, or you are on a busy shoulder, do not improvise. A jump start technician uses a professional pack and tests the battery and charging system before leaving. Call (908) 444-0129, and see the jump start guide for what happens on the call.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowMore on batteries
Keep reading, or go back to every post on the blog.
- Dead car battery in a New Jersey winter: why it happens and what to do
- Tip #12: Never jump a battery that is swollen, cracked, leaking or frozen
- Tip #18: Test an aging battery in the fall and replace it on your schedule, not the weather's
- Tip #19: If the car dies while driving, suspect the alternator before the battery
- Tip #20: A battery that dies every few days usually has something draining it
- Tip #85: Test your battery every fall once it is a few years old
- Tip #87: If your battery keeps dying, have the alternator load-tested at a shop
- Tip #93: Modern cars and EVs drain their 12-volt battery while parked
- All posts
Need towing and roadside assistance right now? One call, truck on the way.
Real dispatcher, 24 hours a day. Quoted price before we roll.