How to Jump-Start a Car
How to Jump-Start a Car in Canton, GA
There's very little that's as frustrating as a dead car battery, especially if you're in a rush. Leaving on car lights, extreme outdoor temperatures and undiagnosed vehicle problems are the most common culprits. Feeling stranded in your driveway or on the side of the road can be unnerving, which is why the team here at Cherokee County Toyota has put together a step-by-step guide on how to jump-start your car. All you need are jumper cables, a trusted friend and some handy know-how. Whether it's your first time jump-starting your car or it has been a few years, once you read through our instructions below, you'll be back on the road before you know it.
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 both 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:
- RED to DEAD: Connect one of the red clips to the positive (+) terminal on your dead battery.
- RED to DONOR: Connect the other red clip to the positive (+) terminal on the donor vehicle’s battery.
- 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.
- 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.
- Start the donor car and let it run for one to two minutes.
- Try to start the car with the dead battery.
- 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.
- 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!
- 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.
Do you find that your car often needs a jump? It might be time for a replacement battery. Schedule your service appointment with our team, or use our online form to order a new battery. Our technicians can help with the installation and dispose of your car's old battery properly, so swing by our service center today!
If you have any questions about jump-starting a car, what battery is right for your Toyota or anything else, we’ll be happy to help. Contact us online or stop by Cherokee County Toyota at 301 Liberty Blvd, Canton, GA 30114 . We're located near Alpharetta and the greater Atlanta area.