How To Jump Start a Car - Our Comprehensive Guide Using and Removing Jump Leads

Learning to jump start a car is an essential skill that all of us should learn. It can save you a lot of time and money regarding car and car battery maintenance.

There's never a good time or place for a dead car battery, especially when you're already way behind schedule for the day. But, with the help of another vehicle, some jumper cables and the right know-how, you can revive your car battery – at least long enough to get you to the garage to replace it! We have a range of premium car batteries that will suit your make and model. Just head over to our car battery page to find the right one for you.

GSF’s Helpful Jump Starting Car Guide

To prepare for the unexpected, we have put together this helpful guide on how to jump start a car. Here, we will walk you through the stages of how to jump start a car with leads, as well as including an FAQ section to answer commonly asked questions.

We'll cover:

What You'll Need to Jump Start a Car
Performing a Safety Check
What Is the Correct Way to Jump Start a Car?
Removing the Jump Leads
Car Jump Starting FAQs
Battery Maintenance After Jump Starting a Car

What You'll Need to Jump Start a Car

Jump Leads – these need to be clean and in perfect condition with no frayed wires or rust. If you need to replace yours, at GSF, we have a great selection of jump leads and booster cables with varied lengths and amps. You can view our full range of jump leads here. So you're sure to find the right one to jump start your vehicle. You should check the current characteristics, such as battery capacity and voltage and the starting current on your battery plate to find compatible ones.
Rubber Work Gloves – for safety while working with electric components. Also, remove any rings of metal jewellery.
Safety Goggles – be sure to check that these have been certified for auto repair.
Donor Battery – a vehicle with a fully charged battery with a voltage matching yours.

Performing a Safety Check

Before you jump start your car battery, it's important to assess that there is nothing physically wrong with it first and that it has just gone dead. You will also need to be aware of your surroundings, as certain things can make your car battery explode or cause severe damage.

To ensure you are safe before, during and after jump starting your car with leads, follow these do's and don'ts:

Do:

Check that the voltage of the vehicle being jumped matches that of the vehicle it is connected to. If these don't match up, it can cause serious damage to both cars.
Make sure the engine is off in both of the cars.
Unplug all accessories before jumpstarting, as the power can short their circuits out.
Make sure all electrical elements, including any bulbs, are switched off in both vehicles.
Ensure the cars are parked close enough for the cables to reach but not close enough to touch. Both vehicles need to be parked up with the handbrake on.
Take precautions by wearing safety goggles and rubber gloves before jumpstarting.

Don't:

Attempt to jump start the car if your battery is damaged or leaking, as this can cause an explosion.
Lean over the battery of either car in case it sparks or explodes.
Jump start a battery if any of the fluids are frozen, which can cause an explosion.
Smoke while jump starting a car, as this can cause fire.
Wear rings or metal jewellery, or let anything metal touch the battery terminals.

What Is the Correct Way to Jump Start a Car?

Here, we will take you through the process to ensure you go about the procedure safely and responsibly.

Firstly, you'll need to ensure the cars are parked close enough together without them being able to touch each other. It will be easiest to position the vehicles so the bonnets face each other, as this will mean your jump start cables won't need to stretch over cars. Both cars should have all of their electrical equipment and ignition switched off and be parked with the handbrake securely on.
Open the bonnet of both cars and attach one end of the red jump lead to the positive terminal of the flat battery. A plastic film usually protects these terminals, so peel this back before attaching the jump lead. You must connect the jump lead to the dead battery first, as it will have less power than the good battery, so there is less chance of shock or explosion.
Take the other end of the red jump lead and attach it to the positive terminal of the vehicle with a fully charged battery, again making sure to peel back the plastic film before putting these together.
Repeat with the black jump lead, connecting it to the negative terminal of the charged battery. You can then attach the other side of the black jump lead to a productive earth point in the car with the dead battery – this means picking a place which will have a direct physical connection to the earth. Ideally, this will be a solid metal part of the engine as this will be an excellent conductor to encourage and carry the current between vehicles.
Once both cars are hooked up, wait for around 3 minutes and then start the engine of the car that's got a fully charged battery.
You can now also start the car with the dead battery. If your car's ignition starts as normal when you turn the key, the jump start has worked.
You should drive the car for at least 30 minutes afterwards to allow the alternator to recharge the battery. Now that you have jumpstarted your car battery, the vehicle's engine should be running correctly after this, but if it is still struggling to start, there may be a deeper issue at hand. If so, you must call for breakdown assistance and get your car seen by a professional.

No matter how short the journey you're taking, ensure you're prepared for unexpected incidents. We recommend having travel essentials, including emergency items and a first aid box, stored in your car at all times to keep you safe and comfortable while you wait for recovery.

Removing Jump Leads

There is no golden rule for when to remove the car jump leads once your car is up and running – this can be anything from immediately after you've accumulated power to around 10 minutes after your battery has shown its first signs of being powered up. The longer you leave it connected, the more charge it will gather. However, there are some rules you will need to follow to ensure you disconnect your jump leads safely and responsibly:

Turn off the engines of both vehicles before disconnecting the jump start cable. This is particularly important as the electrical current could cause electric shocks and damage the car's important electronics. This can prevent the vehicle's sensors, comfort systems and ignition from working.
You will then need to remove the black lead from the negative terminal of the car that needed powering first and then from the booster car. Once you've done this, repeat for the red lead, ensuring you disconnect it from the jump started car first and then the booster one.
Make sure that none of the leads touch one another or the car when you remove them, as this can cause sparks and explosions if they are still carrying the electric current.
Turn the jump started car's engine back on once all jump leads have been removed safely. If your car fails to restart, you must seek professional help, as this could signify a problem with your battery or engine.

To see any of these steps in detail, check out ChrisFix's YouTube tutorial on how to jump start a car properly. Here, he shares his best tips for hooking the cars up, disconnecting the jump leads and finding a good and safe Earth point.

Jump Starting a Car FAQs

What Order Do You Put Jump Leads On?

Here's the correct order for your jump leads:

Red Lead to the Dead Battery - Firstly, connect the red lead jump cable to the positive terminal on the flat car battery.

Red Lead to Donor Battery - Now connect the red lead jump cable to the positive terminal on the donor vehicle's charged battery.

Black Lead to Donor Battery - Connect the black lead jump cable to the negative terminal on the donor car's charged battery.

Black Lead to Metal - Connect the black jump lead to an unpainted part of the car with the flat battery (like a bolt, bracket or other metal engine structure). This must not be next to the battery.

Can You Jump Start Your Car Without Another Car?

Yes. Although jump starting your vehicle with another one can be the simplest way to get your car back up and running, there are other ways you can start your car if the battery fails without another vehicle.

One method is to push start your car. This requires at least two people and can be started by putting the clutch down and placing your car in second gear. You should next turn on your ignition without starting the car and gently release the brakes. Once the car begins rolling at a speed of approximately 5 mph, you can release the clutch. As the car builds momentum, continue driving to charge the battery.

Another way to get a jump start is to hook your cables up to a fully charged backup battery. You can do this like we described in the previous section on jump-starting a car with leads. It's also essential to remove jump leads from the jump started car before you remove them from the spare battery to reduce the chances of sparks or electrocution.

At GSF Car Parts, we sell car jump starters. A tool that can start your car without a donor battery. You can check our range of car jump starters here.

Can You Jump Start an Automatic Car?

Yes. An automatic car can be jump started the same way as described in the 'how to jump start a car with leads' section. But, unlike a manual transmission that can be pushed to start when there are no jump leads available, an automatic vehicle cannot be push started as this will damage the transmission.

Can You Jump Start a Car in the Rain?

Yes. The electrical system inside cars will not have a high enough voltage to cause you harm or risk of electrocution, so there is no danger from doing this. Just make sure that you carefully dry your jump start leads before storing them away so that they do not accumulate rust or become damaged.

Can You Jump Start a Car in Reverse?

Yes. Sometimes, the only option will be to jump start your car in reverse, so the same method can be used as described above. It's crucial to remember that reverse is a low-ratio gear, meaning push starting can damage the transmission and clutch. Additionally, you may experience more of a sudden jolt when releasing the clutch, but this is normal.

Can You Jump Start a Petrol Car With a Diesel?

Yes. Despite this not being recommended traditionally, it is generally acceptable for a petrol car to be jump started from the battery of a diesel one. The main thing to check for before doing this is that the two battery voltages are the same to remove any risk of burning out the starter motor or causing an explosion. If you are still concerned about this, we recommend getting a professional to help.

Can You Jump Start a Diesel Car With a Petrol Car?

Yes. Contrary to popular belief, this is perfectly fine. However, you must ensure that the two battery voltages are the same to remove any risk of burning any of the crucial engine parts or causing an explosion.

Battery Maintenance After Jump Starting a Car

Even if your battery has started, the power surge from the jump start won't usually be enough to charge it from dead fully, so we advise investing in a good car battery charger to power it to its full capacity.

Here at GSF Car Parts, we have a great selection of battery chargers, so you can find one compatible with your vehicle. If you don't already know which one you'll need, enter your car registration and details in the box provided at the top of each page, and we will be able to find the correct battery charger for your car.

Typically, car batteries last between 3 to 4 years, but this can differ depending on how often you drive, the quality of your driving, and weather conditions, so make sure you are taking care of gear changes and speed on the road. We have a guide to car batteries that includes plenty of helpful information on how to check, choose and change your car battery by reg, should you need a replacement. This will help you determine whether jumpstarting can revive your dead car battery or if another issue exists.

Hopefully, this guide has made you confident with the car jump starting process so you can get back on the road quickly and safely.

Here, at GSF Car Parts, we have all of the main equipment you'll need to jump start your car battery, as well as battery maintenance products to ensure your car's engine is running smoothly.

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