How to Jump-Start a Car

If your Lexus doesn’t respond when you turn the key in the ignition, you’re most likely dealing with a dead battery. A jump-start brings your battery back to life with a jolt of power from another vehicle’s battery—but learning the proper way to jump-start a car is important for your safety.

In the guide that follows, we’ve laid out everything you need to know about how to jump-start a car battery safely—even when your car won’t jump-start—and when you should get in touch with a Lawrenceville-area Lexus service center about battery replacement.

Before You Jump-Start Your Car Battery…

You shouldn’t get in close contact with your car battery until you’re sure that you know the proper way to jump-start a car. We’ll go over the process step-by-step, but we recommend getting in contact with our team of auto service specialists if you need further clarification. We’re also happy to help you find a jump-start car service in the Hamilton, NJ area if you’d prefer to let a professional take care of the jump-start.

How To Jump-Start a Car Safely

To jump-start a dead car battery, all you need are jumper cables and access to another car’s battery. You’ll use the jumper cables to connect the terminals of your car’s battery to the terminals of the other car’s battery. Then you’ll start the other car’s engine so that power to flows from the good battery to yours. To ensure safety, follow these steps for the proper way to jump-start a car:

1. Park the car with the good battery facing your car.
2. Place both vehicles in Park or Neutral, and shut off both ignitions.
3. Make sure both parking brakes are engaged.
4. Open the hoods and find each car’s battery. The battery may be covered by a plastic hood, which you’ll need to lift off to expose the terminal.
5. Identify the positive and negative terminals on both car batteries, and inspect to make sure they’re clean and free of corrosion.
6. Connect one of the red cable clamps to the positive terminal of your dead battery.
7. Attach the other red clamp to the positive terminal of the good battery.
8. Connect one of the black clamps to the negative terminal of the good battery.
9. Attach the final black clamp to an unpainted metal surface on your car’s frame (and away from the battery).
10. With all 4 clamps secure, start the engine of the donor vehicle and allow it to run for a couple of minutes.
11. Now try starting your engine. If your car starts, the jump has worked!
12. However, don’t turn the engine back off right away! Drive the car around for at least 15 minutes to recharge the battery.

Jump-Start Car Service Near Lawrenceville

If you’re not comfortable enough to jump-start a car battery yourself, can’t find another driver, or your car won’t jump-start—no worries. A jump-start car service will send technicians to jump-start your battery for you. Contact our service center for recommended jump-start car service providers in your area.

More Battery Tips and Tricks

If your car won’t jump-start after a jump attempt, there are a few more things you can try before calling a jump-start car service. Re-connect the batteries and run the other engine for at least five more minutes before trying again. If your engine still won’t start, your car could have one of the following issues:

• It’s time to replace your car battery. Schedule service for a battery replacement at your local Lexus dealership.
• There’s a problem with the starter. Listen for the telltale clicking sound as you turn the key in the ignition.

If the interior lights and radio turn on, but the engine fails to turn over, there could be an underlying problem with anything from the ignition switch, battery, starter, or a fuse—so it’s important that a Lexus technician take a look at your car and properly diagnose the issue.

Rely on Haldeman Lexus of Princeton for Expert Service and OEM Parts

Now that you know how to properly jump-start a car, make sure you have a good set of jumper cables in your trunk. Visit our service center near Yardley, PA to learn more about routine maintenance services like tire rotation.