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in: Cars, Heading Out On Your Own, Manly Skills, Visual Guides

• August 28, 2012 Last updated: May 26, 2018

How to Jump Start a Car

1. Pull jumper car next to car with dead battery. Make sure both cars are turned off and pop their hoods. 2. Connect one end of the red (positive) jumper cable to the positive terminal on the stalled battery. 3. Connect the other red (positive) cable clamp to the positive terminal of the good battery. 4. Connect one end of the black (negative) jumper cable to the negative terminal of the good battery. 5. Connect the other black (negative) cable to a clean, unpainted metal surface under the disabled car’s hood. Somewhere on the engine block is a good place. Do not connect the negative cable to the negative terminal of the dead battery. 6. Now start the car that’s doing the jumping and allow it to run for 2-3 minutes before starting the dead car. Remove cables in reverse order of how you connected them. Keep the jumped car running for at least 30 minutes to give the battery sufficient time to recharge itself.

For a text article on the subject, see here. We’ve made also made a video tutorial of how to jump start your car.

Like this illustrated guide? Then you’re going to love our book The Illustrated Art of Manliness! Pick up a copy on Amazon.

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