Jumper cables
are a gear you always want to have with you but hope you’ll never
actually need to use. These cables can be a lifesaver when your
battery is dead and your car won’t start, or when you get the
chance to help out someone who’s been stranded by a bad battery.
Knowing how
to use the cables appropriately and how to store them safely will
make it that much easier to help both yourself and others out of a
sticky situation.
You might
have a hard time finding the battery under the hood of some vehicles.
That’s because it may be in the trunk or, in the case of some SUVs,
under the load floor in the cargo area. In these installations,
you’ll likely find an access panel that lifts up over the positive
terminal of the battery, alongside a ground terminal that might not
be the actual battery ground itself. Your owner’s manual can help
you find the battery as well.
Jumper
cables,
also called booster cables, seem pretty straightforward. The
black alligator clamps connect to the negative ( – ) or ground on
each vehicle, while the red alligator clamps connect to the positive
( + ) terminal on each
car's
battery, completing
the electric circuit between the two vehicles and allowing them to
share the electricity needed to run the starter on the dead
automobile. It’s
not as simple as just connecting the clamps, however. With both
vehicles off, you’ll want to use the following sequence:
1. Connect to
the positive terminal on the good battery.
2. Connect
the positive terminal on the bad battery.
3. Connect
the negative terminal on the bad battery. Don’t connect the
negative clamp to the good battery.
4. Look for
an unpainted piece of metal in the engine bay to use as a ground, and
clamp there instead — it will offer a better connection, without
risking damage to the good battery.
5. Once
clamped on, start the car with the good battery, let it idle for a
minute and then crank the car with the dead battery for five seconds,
or until it starts.
Wait a minute
or two between each five-second pull to make sure you don’t drain
the other vehicle’s electrical system. Jumper cables need to stay
clean and free of corrosion to ensure they can transmit enough power
to get a car started. Most cables come with a protective bag you can
use to store them in your trunk, but it’s important not to get that
bag wet and to clean off any dirt or rust that could form on the
leads. Cables can corrode on the inside, too — this is harder to
spot, but generally if you keep them dry you won’t have to worry.