Jump-starting a car is a way to recharge your vehicle by connecting your car's dead battery to a charged vehicle. This relatively easy trick can help get you back on the road quickly, but you may need to do some prep work before connecting the cables. Follow these tips from start to finish to help keep you safe.

The Basic Steps

1. Park the working vehicle near the dead one on a stable surface with the parking brakes on. All lights and electronics should be off.
2. Ensure your jumper cables are intact, and then locate the battery under each car's hood. You should see the positive (+) and negative (-) signs on black boxes. Typically, the positive terminals are large and red, while the negative terminals are smaller and black.
3. Attach the red clamps of the jumper cables to the positive terminals, and attach the black clamps to the negative terminals.
4. You should have one black clamp left after this, which must be attached to bare metal (like a bolt) on the car's engine block with the dead battery. Whichever location you choose, it should be away from fuel lines and the battery.
5. Start the working car, and then let it run for a few minutes.
6. Try to start the dead car. Don't try the key for any longer than 10 seconds during any single attempt, as this might cause damage to the motor.
7. If the car doesn't start, you may just need to check the connections or quickly clean up any dirt or debris disrupting the power supply. (If the car still doesn't start, there may be another problem with the vehicle, and you should consult a mechanic.)
8. Once the dead car has been running for at least 20 minutes, you can turn off the working car, wait a few minutes, and then disconnect the cables in reverse order (disconnect the black ones first, and then the red ones).

It's worth noting that if you don't have another car available, you can use portable battery chargers instead of a standard jump-start. The clamps work the same way, except they're attached to a charging pack.

Keep in Mind

If your battery died because you accidentally left the lights on all night, then charging it once will likely fix the problem. However, if the car battery is older, then you should consult a professional mechanic to determine if you need to replace the battery altogether.