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At some point, every driver experiences the odd roadside mishap. If the day comes when you need to deal with a dead car battery, you’ll want to know what to do. Use the following guide to prepare for this common inconvenience.

How to Jumpstart a Car Battery

1. Check Out the Other Car

Once you’ve got a friend to jumpstart your car with their own, make sure theirs has at least as much voltage as yours. If their car features an electronic ignition system or uses alternate fuel, the jumpstart may harm it. Luckily, you don’t have to worry if one vehicle features an alternator and the other has a generator—the jumpstart will work fine.

2. Set Up the Cables

car batteryOnce you’ve parked both the cars and shut off the ignition, switch on the parking brakes and pop open the hoods. With the jumper cables in hand, connect a red clip to your battery’s positive terminal, which may have a “+” or the initials “POS” written on it. Then connect the other red clip to the other car’s positive terminal. Next, attach a black clip to the negative terminal on the car that will be jumpstarting yours. You can then connect the other black clip to an unpainted metal area of your car, away from the battery.

3. Recharging the Battery

To begin delivering power to your car’s battery, instruct the other driver to turn on their car and allow the engine to run for several minutes. Then try to turn on your car. If it works, you’ll need to drive for at least 15 minutes so the battery can recharge itself.

 

If the jumpstart proves futile or if your battery keeps dying, you’ll need a professional car battery replacement from Chung's Alignment & Auto Services in Honolulu, HI. With over 18 years of experience, this certified NAPA® AutoCare Center offers everything from suspension repairs to engine tune-ups. To make an appointment for a battery replacement, call them at (808) 744-8692 or visit the website.

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