Ellicott City Area Ford Drivers Learn How to Jump Start Their Car

Aug 28, 2017 - 1 minute read

a person working on a car's engine with a wrench and a wrench in their hand

Picture this: You go to sit down in your car after a long day and all you want to do is get home. As you start the car, you hear nothing but the cranking of the engine. Your battery is dead and your car doesn’t start, leaving you stranded and needing somebody’s help. Sounds fun, right? Wrong!

This isn’t farfetched, as a dead battery is pretty common if not taken care of or replaced every few years. If your car battery has died, you may need to use jumper cables. It is important to hook up the cables correctly, and luckily our Ellicott City area Ford service department is here to help with that.

Follow the steps below to properly jump start your car:

  1. Take out the jumper cables: It’s a good idea to keep a pair of jumper cables in your car in case of an emergency, but not everyone does. If you don’t have a pair, find a good Samaritan who can lend you a pair and also help assist in jumping your car.

  2. Place both vehicles in Park or Neutral: Shut off the ignition in both cars as well, and also use the parking brake.

  3. Attach one red clip to the positive terminal of your car battery: Look for POS or +, or the larger terminal as it is bigger than the negative.

  4. Attach the other red clip to the positive terminal of the other car

  5. Attach one black clip to the negative terminal on your car

  6. Attach the other black clip to the unpainted metal surface on your car that is not close to your battery:Using a metal strut that holds the hood open would be a great place to clip to.

  7. Start the working vehicle and let the engine run for a few minutes.

  8. Attempt to start your vehicle: If your car starts up, don’t shut it off for at least 15 minutes. Keep it running and get home. The sooner the better!

If your battery doesn’t start the next time you use it, it is time to get a new battery. Our Ford parts department serving Ellicott City can help shoppers find the battery they need. A battery that cannot hold a charge is dangerous, as being stranded in an unknown place without anyone around to help could end in trouble. It is wise to always take care of your car, inside and out, and keep the battery in tip-top shape.

To learn more about jump starting a car, contact Apple Ford Lincoln by calling our service center at (866) 695-6642.

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