How to Jump-Start a Vehicle With a Dead Battery

mechanic jump starting car

 

If your car battery dies during transport or at any other time, knowing how to jump-start the vehicle can save you a headache.

Ending up with a dead car battery is a frustrating experience, especially if it occurs at an inopportune time. You need to go somewhere and attempt to turn the key, only to have nothing happen at all. The next step is often to call for some roadside assistance, but that takes time. When you’re in a hurry, or if you’ve just shipped your car to a new location and aren’t sure who to call, jump-starting the car yourself could be your only option.

Here’s an easy guide to how to jump-start your vehicle’s dead battery.

Key Takeaways

  • Car batteries can die for many reasons
  • Jump-starting a car is a straightforward process
  • Learning how to jump the battery yourself is advisable for any driver

 

What causes dead car batteries?

Your car battery can die for many different reasons. You could have left the lights off, either interior or exterior, overnight. This problem commonly occurs with classic cars because their lights don’t turn off automatically and they may not have a warning bell to inform you of the issue.

Other issues that could potentially lead to your battery dying include:

  • Extremely hot or cold temperatures
  • Loose battery cables
  • Taking an excessive number of very short drives that don’t give your alternator time to charge it.
  • A short circuit in the car can slowly drain the battery

Fortunately, you can usually get your car up and running again by jump-starting the battery.

Getting set up

Before you can begin the repair, you’ll need to have the right equipment. All you really require is a good set of jumper cables, which you can get at any automotive retailer. These cables are inexpensive, and you can fold them up to store with your spare tire or under the seat.

Alternatively, you can buy a portable battery jumper and keep it in your car. These devices are convenient because they allow you to jump-start your car without a secondary vehicle to draw power from.

When using jumper cables, you’ll need another vehicle to provide the jump. Therefore, part of the process involves asking someone to help you out. You’ll want to park the two cars about 18 inches apart so the cables can reach between the vehicles and make sure both vehicles are turned off.

Attaching the cables

Once you have another car to help with the jump-starting process, you can attach the jumper cables to the cars. Begin by identifying the positive and negatives sides of the battery. You don’t want to make a mistake here because you could damage both vehicles and injure someone.

Attach the red cable clamp to the positive side of the dead battery. The positive side will have a + marking, so you know where to attach it. 

Next, attach the other red clamp to the positive side of the working car’s battery and then the black clamp to its negative side, marked by a – sign. 

Finally, you’ll attach the remaining black clamp to a bolt on the engine block of the car with the dead battery away from the battery. Don’t connect it to the battery because that can create a dangerous spark when you start the vehicle. 

Jumping the battery

Now that everything is connected, you’re ready to jump-start the car. Begin by starting the engine of the working vehicle and letting it run for a minute or two. This process allows the dead battery to take a charge and, hopefully, helps it to start. 

If everything has gone smoothly, you can now start the car with the dead battery. In situations where it doesn’t start right up, let it charge for a couple more minutes and try again. The vehicle should eventually fire up.

Disconnecting the cables

Once the car is running, it’s time to disconnect the jumper cables. You’ll do this job in the opposite order that you attached them. Start with the black cable on the engine block. Next comes the black clamp on the working vehicle, then the red clamp on the functional vehicle’s battery, and, finally, the other red clamp.

Make sure you take your car for a drive after disconnecting the cables to give the alternator a chance to charge it completely. That way, you don’t have to worry about the vehicle not starting again the next time you need it.

Shipping a vehicle

If you’re looking to ship a vehicle to another part of the country, make sure you have your lights off and disconnect any devices from the inside of the car (like a radar detector) before putting it on the truck. Taking the car to a mechanic for the necessary maintenance before shipping can also help ensure it starts up upon arrival.

If you still end up experiencing battery trouble when your vehicle reaches its destination, it’s nice to know how simple it is to jump-start without requiring roadside assistance.

Shipping your vehicle doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. Learning how to jump the battery means you can handle the situation if the car doesn’t start. Using a quality broker like Mercury Auto Transport can also eliminate stress by ensuring you end up with a reputable carrier.

Contact us today to request a quote or to talk to a car shipping representative.

Facebook
WhatsApp
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest

2 Comments

Comments are closed.

Get a quote.

Transport Vehicle FROM
Transport Vehicle TO
Vehicle Year
Vehicle Make
Vehicle Make
Vehicle Model
Vehicle Model
Vehicle Type
Destination
2
Vehicle
3
Date
Full Name
Phone Number
Email Address
Available Date
Additional Information
Location
Vehicle(s)
3
Contact & Date

Thank you!

Thanks for submitting the form. You will be receive an email shortly.

What Our Customrs Are Saying

FAQs

We feel it’s important for you to know how we determined your quote. Quotes are based on what the market demands for cars to be moved at a given time. Each quote is compared with the current rates on the National Load Board before being sent to our customers and will be reviewed periodically through the process.

Other companies might offer you a lower price to obtain your business. This method is ineffective because if the car does not pay the correct amount of money, it will run the probability of not getting loaded or transported on time. You will not get this information from our competitors. Truck drivers always take the loads that pay the most first, leaving the loads that are mispriced to be moved last or not at all. We try very hard to avoid this with our customers by quoting a fair but realistic quote up front. Visit our How we determine your quote page for more information.

Understanding auto transport insurance is important and we think it’s valuable to explain how it works. As part of providing a great car transport service, it is our job to guarantee that the carrier we assign to pickup your vehicle is licensed and insured. Click here to check out our license.

When you go with Mercury to ship your vehicle, you can rest assured that the carrier assigned to move your car is fully insured and licensed with the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier and Saftey Administration).

Your vehicle is covered by the carrier’s insurance policy that is doing the shipping. Depending on the type and size of the truck/trailer that is shipping your car, the insurance policy can cover from $100,000 to $1,000,000 of damage.

We have also provided a checklist to explain what you need to do at both pickup and delivery in case there are any issues so, you can file a claim and know that everything will be taken care of.

It is rare but, time-to-time there may be accidental damage while in transit and it is good to know that your carrier’s insurance will protect your auto shipment in that event.

To view a sample BOL (Bill of Lading) and learn what to do in case of accidental damage, please check out our Condition Report and Procedure checklist.

When comparing auto transport companies, keep in mind that low-priced quotes often result in delays in getting your vehicle loaded. Choosing the right broker is vital to getting a reputable carrier for the lowest price possible.  

We feel it’s important for you to know how we determine your quote.

When you’re looking for a car shipping rate, you want to understand how auto transport works. Prices are based on seasonal market demands for cars to be moved at any given time. Each quote is prepared based on the season and the current national rates.

When comparing auto transport companies, keep in mind that low-priced quotes often result in delays in getting your vehicle loaded. Choosing the right broker is vital to getting a reputable carrier for the lowest price possible. Not all brokers are created equal in this talent.

Mercury does a thorough background check with each carrier for every shipment. We verify their ratings, references, and in addition, we obtain a certified copy of their insurance certificate, directly from the government agency that it is on file with.

You can have peace of mind knowing that the carrier shipping your vehicle is the very best and that there are no surprises guaranteed.

Mercury Auto Transport is licensed, Bonded and Insured. Our FMSCA Motor Carrier Number is MC647319.

While we do our best match your auto shipping needs with the most responsible carriers with the best track records, from time-to-time there may be accidental damage while in transit, it is good to know that the insurance of the carrier we locate for you will protect your auto shipment in that event.

Shipping a vehicle can be stressful if you don’t know what to do.  This is why we believe it is paramount to have our highly trained agents be your main point of contact from start to finish.

They will go over everything you need to know so you can relax.  In the meanwhile, we prepared this checklist.  This includes everything from pickup to delivery and how to make sure your car is ready for pickup.

When it comes to car moving, we want you to be ahead of the game!  For any questions and further assistance our agents are standing by, (800) 553-1828.  Please read our checklist to prepare your vehicle to learn more.

There are several ways you can ship a car.  The options include enclosed trailer, open carrier transport, flatbed truck, door-to-door shipping services, and to or from a terminal as well.  The most popular of the options is a 7 to 10 car open carrier.  These large trucks can accommodate almost any size vehicle including carsSUVstrucksjeeps, and vans.

Open car transport, door to door is also the best way to get the cheapest auto transport rate possible.  To learn more and see what transport method is best for you, please fill out our free quote form and one of our representatives will respond to you within minutes.  You can also call us at (800) 553-1828.

We present offers from FMCSA Licensed and Insured Carriers. When you accept an offer, we send your service agreement that guarantees the price, door-to-door service, and 100% bumper-to-bumper insurance. There are never any hidden fees or charges, guaranteed.