How To: Jumpstart a dead battery

If your car has a dead battery, jumper cables can be used to connect to a car with a good battery to start your engine. Begin by positioning the two cars side-by-side, turn off the engines, and lift the hoods to access the batteries. First, attach the red cables to the positive terminals of each battery beginning with the dead battery. These terminals are usually marked with a plus sign or in red. Next, attach the black cable to the negative terminal of the good battery. The negative terminal should be marked with a negative sign or in black. Then attach the other black cable to the engine block of the car with the dead battery, making sure to attach it as far away from the battery as possible. Once the cables are in place, start the engine of the car with the good battery, wait a minute or two, then start the engine of the car with the dead battery. Leave both engines running and detach the cables in the reverse order in which they were attached. Remember, all cars are different so read your owners manual before you begin.