How to Jump Start a Car – Charlotte Toyota Car Maintenance Tips

May 17th, 2018 by

Want to find out how to jump-start your car? This is an important skill that every car driver should know how to do in case of an emergency. Toyota of North Charlotte is here to help! Our Toyota certified experts are sharing some of their car maintenance knowledge on how to get your car going after its battery has died.

Jump start a car

When and how to jump-start your Charlotte Toyota?

Jump starting your car is something that you do when your vehicle’s battery has died. But remember, this car maintenance trick is only a temporary solution. You only want to jump-start your vehicle if you’re stranded somewhere or if you’re going to our N Charlotte Toyota service center for a replacement battery. Ways that you can check and see that your car won’t start due to a dead battery include:

  • Check to see if your vehicle’s headlights are coming on when you try to turn on your vehicle. If the headlights are coming on, then your car battery isn’t dead.
  • Make sure that your vehicle isn’t out of gas and you don’t have any check engine lights coming on during your car’s dashboard. If the lights appear dimmer than usual, it most likely means that your vehicle’s battery needs car maintenance.
  • See if your N Charlotte Toyota’s radio and lights come on when you try to start your vehicle. This is also a sign that your car’s battery isn’t working.

Once you’re sure that your car battery is the problem you can try jumping your car. Our Charlotte car maintenance experts made a list of steps to help make sure you jump your car the right way.

  1. You need turn off both vehicles.
  2. Connect one of the red (positive) ends of the jumper cable to the positive terminal of the stalled battery.
  3. Connect the other red (positive) end of the jumper cable to the positive terminal on the good battery.
  4. Connect one of the black (negative) ends of the jumper cable to the negative terminal on the good battery.
  5. Connect the other black (negative) end of the jumper cable to an unpainted, clean metal surface under the disabled car’s hood.
  6. Now you can start up the car that’s working and have it run for around 3 minutes. After that try starting up the car that’s not working.
  7. Take off the jumpers in reverse order once you get the car started.
  8. Keep the car with the faulty battery running for at least 30 minutes to make sure the battery gets charged sufficiently.

Car maintenance tips

Fast Toyota car maintenance

Make sure to keep some jumper cables in your car in case you ever need to do this Charlotte car maintenance yourself. This will save you time in case you ever do get a dead battery.

If you’re having auto issues that a jump start, bring it into Toyota of North Charlotte! Our Toyota certified experts will diagnose the problem, perform the car maintenance, and get you back out on the road in no time. Call us and set up an appointment at (704) 659-2025.

Posted in Toyota Service