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How to Jump-Start a Car

If your car won’t jump-start right as you need to head out on the Hannibal, MO roads, then jumping your vehicle is an easy step that anyone can do. Luckily, the service department at Shottenkirk Kia of Quincy has put together a handy guide on how to properly jump-start a car no matter where you are. Learn the proper way to jump-start a car with Shottenkirk Kia of Quincy, so you can get back on the road in no time. 

Jump-Start Car Service: Step-by-Step

To jump-start your car battery, all you’ll need is a set of jumper cables and another vehicle. If you can’t find another vehicle nearby, you can always call a jump-start service like AAA to find you in Keokuk, IA. Once you have what you need, you’ll simply follow these steps: 

  1. Park the other vehicle with the good battery so that it’s facing your vehicle, and turn that vehicle off. Be sure to engage the parking brakes on both vehicles. 
  2. Pop open the hoods on both vehicles and find the batteries. Some batteries might have a plastic hood that will need to be removed. 
  3. Find the positive and negative battery terminals to make sure that they are free of any corrosion. 
  4. Hook up the red clamp to the positive post on the dead battery. 
  5. Uncoil the battery cable and hook the red clamp to the positive terminal on the battery with the charge. 
  6. You’ll then want to connect the black clamp to the negative post on the good battery. 
  7. Connect the final clamp to the unpainted metal surface of your car’s frame. 
  8. Once you have everything hooked up, start the engine of the vehicle with the good battery, and then try the vehicle with the dead battery.
  9. Once the dead vehicle has been successfully jump-started, you’ll want to carefully remove the jumper cables in the reverse order that they were placed. Then, shut off the car that has the good battery. 
  10. You’ll want to keep the engine running for at least 10 minutes on the restarted car. This will ensure that the battery won’t die right away again. 

Other Jump-Start Tips and Tricks

If your car won’t jump-start on the Pittsfield roads and you have tried the process above, then the chances are that you might need a new battery. Here are some things to consider when trying to properly jump-start your car: 

  • If you heard a clicking sound when you try to jump-start the car, then the starter might not be working. 
  • If the electrical systems of the car turn on, but the engine won’t turn over, then this could be the result of a number of issues. 
  • After you successfully jump-start your vehicle, you’ll want to keep your vehicle running for about 10-15 minutes to ensure the battery charges up after it’s been drained.

If your battery won’t jump-start, then you may need to schedule a service with Shottenkirk Kia of Quincy to quickly diagnose and repair the vehicle’s problem. 

Schedule a Visit with Shottenkirk Kia of Quincy

Now that you know how to jump-start a car, you can be better prepared for when your car gets stuck on the Quincy roads. Contact us to schedule an appointment for more serious engine repairs and other vehicle concerns.

August 8, 2024
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