Jump-starting a car is a quick and easy way to give a weak battery enough juice to get back on the road. It’s also not as difficult as it might look. Your Mazda has a battery warning light to warn you that your battery is in trouble, so you are unlikely to suffer a dead battery. As your Mazda dealer, we like to advise you on how to jump-start a car for a friend or family member who is in trouble.
Advice From Your Mazda Dealer: 3 Steps To Jump-Start a Car
Park Close
When you jump start another car, you’re transferring power from your battery to their battery. The further electricity has to travel through a cable, the more of it is lost through transmission. In addition, parking closer to the other vehicle prevents the jumper cables from being pulled taut and potentially slipping off the battery terminals.
Most car batteries are under the hood, but some vehicles have the battery in the trunk. Before you position your car, check where the battery is in the other car. Once both vehicles are close to each other, open both hoods and switch off both engines.
Secure the Cables
Jumper cables have a red cable and a black cable. The red cable is the positive, and the black cable is the negative. The cables must be connected in the correct order, as a mistaken connection can damage your battery or even start a fire. This is the correct order for attaching the cables.
Red First
Jumper cables have spring-loaded clamps on both ends of each cable. The first step is to connect one end of the red cable to the positive terminal on the dead battery. Once this clamp is secure, connect the other clamp on the red cable to the positive terminal on your battery.
Black Second
Now the red cables are in place, connect one of the clamps on the black cable to the negative terminal on your battery. The final connection is very important. The second clamp on the black cable must not be connected to the negative terminal on the dead battery. This could cause the damage or potential fire mentioned above.
The second clamp on the black cable must be connected to a piece of metal in the other car’s engine; for example, an unpainted bolt.
Idle Your Mazda
Start your engine and allow it to idle for several minutes. Electricity will flow from your battery to the dead battery. Once this time has passed, try and start the car with the dead battery. If it doesn’t start, idle your engine for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Once the other car is running, it is time to remove the cables.
Now you know how to jump-start a dead battery. If you’d like to know more, contact us today at Mazda City of Orange Park.
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