How to Jump-Start a Car

If you’re stuck in Omaha with a car that won’t jump-start, you likely need a jump-start car battery service. While you can wait for a service technician to make their way to your location, learning how to jump-start a car on your own is a great skill to have. Luckily, Sid Dillon Buick of Lincoln is here to offer the resources you need to feel empowered as a car owner. If your car won’t jump-start, learn the proper way to jump-start a car with our service staff below!

The Proper Way to Jump-Start a Car

Before you learn how to properly jump-start a car, you’ll need to get a set of jumper cables. Of course, you’ll also need another car from a good samaritan to provide a charge. You can always call a jump-start car service like AAA, but learning how to jump-start a car on your own can be accomplished in just a few steps:

1. Park the car with the good battery facing the vehicle with the dead battery. Make sure that the vehicle is off. It’s also a good idea to engage the parking brake on both vehicles.
2. Open the hood on both vehicles to find the batteries, you may need to remove a plastic hood to expose the terminals. 
3. Identify the positive and negative terminals. Check to see that they’re clear of any corrosion. 
4. Attach the red clamp to the positive post on the dead battery.
5. Attach the other red clamp to the positive terminal of the charged battery.
6. Attach the black clamp to the negative post on the good battery. 
7. Attach the final clamp to an unpainted metal surface on your car’s frame. 
8. Once all the clamps are hooked up, start the engine of the vehicle with the charged battery first. Allow some time for the battery to charge, then start the second vehicle. 
9. After performing the jump-start car service, carefully remove the cables in the opposite order that you attached them. 
10. Allow the newly-jumped vehicle to run for at least 10 minutes. This will give it enough time to make sure it won’t die again right away.

Jump-Start Car Service With Buick

If your car won’t jump-start and you’re on your own, you can rely on the Buick Roadside Assistance team! For five years or 100,000 miles, you’ll have Buick 24-hour a day Roadside Assistance on your side. If you find you need help with a jump-start or any other task, call the Buick Roadside Assistance number at 1-800-252-1112. With this service, our team will tow your vehicle to the nearest authorized service center free of charge.

More Battery Tips and Tricks

Even when you know how to properly jump-start a car, sometimes the car still won’t start. In that case, you may need a new battery. That can also be a sign of other, larger issues. Take the following steps to troubleshoot:

1. If you hear a clicking sound when you attempt to fire up your engine, your starter might not be functioning properly. Visit us for a replacement if that’s the case. 
2. If your car’s electrical systems turn on, but the engine fails to turn over, you could have a number of issues. Your ignition switch, battery, starter, or fuse could all be the culprit.
3. Always remember to keep your vehicle running after a jump, this ensures that your battery can recharge! 

Turn to Sid Dillon Buick of Lincoln for Automotive Care

Whether you want to learn the proper way to jump-start a car or you prefer to let our Roadside Assistance team handle the job for you, you can always rely on Sid Dillon Buick of Lincoln to provide the resources you need. Contact us if you’d like to know more about how to properly jump-start a car, and browse our service tips for information on a variety of automotive tasks. When you need reliable car care, book an appointment with us in Lincoln!