Does this sound familiar? You go out to your vehicle, open the door, and notice the lights don’t come on. You hope for a miracle, so you insert the key and turn it. Nothing. The battery is dead, and you’re stranded. The next time that happens to you, jump start your car instead of calling roadside assistance. It’s easy to do, and you’ll be back on the road in minutes.
Prepare to Jump Start Your Vehicle
Before you charge up your battery, you need to prepare. Find someone who is willing to help you. Then, retrieve your jumper cables. Once the cables are out, make sure both vehicles are in park with the ignitions turned off. As a safety measure, it’s also a good idea to engage the parking brakes on both vehicles.
Attach the Cables
Open up the hood and find your battery. Look for the positive terminal. It’s marked by a plus sign or the letters “POS.” Put one of the red clips on that terminal. Then, do the exact same thing to the battery on the other vehicle.
Stay at the other vehicle for a second, and attach the black clip to the battery’s negative terminal.
At this point, the other vehicle should have both clips attached, but your vehicle only has the red clip attached.
Go back to your vehicle to look for an unpainted metal surface that is away from the battery. The metal strut that you use to hold the hood open is a good option. Attach the black clip to the metal.
Start Charging
Start the other vehicle up, and let it run for several minutes. Then, get in your vehicle and start it. If it doesn’t start, check the cables and give it another try. If it still doesn’t start after five minutes, you likely need a new battery.
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Keep Your Vehicle Running
If your vehicle does start, you need to keep it running for at least 15 minutes. Drive around to give your battery time to recharge. Then, you should be good to go.
If you continue to have problems with your vehicle, that’s a sign that it’s time for an upgrade. Lee Nissan Fort Walton Beach in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, has a huge inventory of Nissans that are ready to go home today. Stop by and pick out your new vehicle today.
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