How to Jump-Start a Car
How to Jump-Start a Car in Eugene, OR
Imagine this: You’re on your way out the door one morning, breakfast and coffee in hand. You settle in your car and turn on the engine, only to find — after stalling a few times — your car’s battery is dead! There’s very little that’s as frustrating as a dead battery, especially when you’re running behind and you’ve got kids to take to school. The most common culprits of a dead battery? Extreme outdoor temperatures, undiagnosed vehicle problems and even leaving on car lights overnight can all drain your car’s battery. If you’ve been stranded in your driveway or in a parking lot, the team here at Hyundai Eugene can help. Grab some jumper cables and a friend and read our guide below on how to jump-start your car.
What to Do Before You Jump-Start Your Car
Before jump-starting, double check:
- Your battery. Jump-starting a leaking, damaged, frozen or corroded battery is a major safety hazard. If you suspect that your battery has been compromised, call a professional (like the service techs here at our dealership).
- For metal objects and open flames. Ensure that there are no tools, phones, watches, jewelry or cigarettes nearby — and especially not sitting on or near the battery. Keep the sparks inside the engine, not outside.
- Your key. Take it out of the ignition and tuck it away in a safe place.
- Your owner’s manual. Out of caution, check the section in the manual on how to jump-start your battery before you begin.
- The battery voltage. Make sure that both cars have a battery with the same voltage. While most have 12-volt batteries, some use a six-volt battery. You never want to jump-start a vehicle by connecting to a car with higher battery voltage.
What to Do Next
When you’re ready to jump-start your car, follow these tips:
- Prepare the cars. Park the donor car next to yours and put both cars in park or neutral. Turn them off and put on the parking brake. Ensure the vehicles aren’t touching each other.
- Get out your jumper cables. These cables have four alligator clips, two on each end. The red clips are positive and the black clips are negative. Here’s the order in which you should connect the clips to the cars:
- Start the donor car and let it run for one to two minutes.
- Try to start the car with the dead battery.
- Without turning your car off, remove the cables in reverse order from how you put them on.
- Drive your vehicle for 30 minutes. This will help the battery retain the charge so it can start up properly next time.
a. RED to DEAD : Connect one of the red clips to the positive (+) terminal on your dead battery.
b. RED to DONOR : Connect the other red clip to the positive (+) terminal on the donor vehicle’s battery.
c. BLACK to DONOR: On the SAME CAR (donor vehicle), connect one of the black clips to the negative (-) terminal on the donor vehicle’s battery.
d. BLACK to METAL: Now, back to the dead battery. Connect the other black clip to bare metal that is not next to the battery. This can be an unpainted metal bolt or bracket.
a. If it turns on, let it run for one to two minutes. This allows it to recharge, as power travels along the jumper cables and into your battery.
b. If it won’t start, you may need to wait a bit longer to let the battery continue to charge. If you have tried multiple times and your car still won’t start, you may have a bigger issue that will need to be fixed by professionals. Skip down below to make an appointment today!
If you find yourself jump-starting your car often, it might be time to replace your car’s battery. Not only can our technicians run a few tests, but we can order and install the right battery in your model in no time. Plus, we know how to properly dispose of your old battery, too, so trust our service department to do the job well. Schedule a service appointment or swing by our dealership for quality automotive service today!
If you have any questions about jump-starting a car, what battery is right for your Hyundai or anything else, we’ll be happy to help. Contact us online or stop by Hyundai Eugene at 89320 N. Game Farm Road, Eugene, OR 97408 . We’re located near Florence, Springfield, Roseburg and Cottage Grove.