How to Jump Start a Car with a Revving Engine

Materials You’ll Need

• A good set of jumper cables
• Another car with a working battery

Safety Precautions

• Park both cars in a safe location, away from traffic.
• Turn off the engines of both cars.
• Put both cars in park or neutral.
• Open the hoods of both cars.
• Locate the batteries in both cars.
• Make sure the battery terminals are clean and free of corrosion.

Connecting the Jumper Cables

1. Connect one end of the red (positive) jumper cable to the positive terminal of the dead battery.
2. Connect the other end of the red cable to the positive terminal of the good battery.
3. Connect one end of the black (negative) jumper cable to the negative terminal of the good battery.
4. Connect the other end of the black cable to an unpainted metal surface on the frame of the dead car, away from the battery.

Starting the Cars

1. Start the engine of the car with the good battery.
2. Rev the engine of the car with the good battery to about 2,000 RPM.
3. Start the engine of the car with the dead battery.
4. If the engine doesn’t start, try revving the engine of the car with the good battery higher.
5. Once the engine of the car with the dead battery starts, let it run for a few minutes to recharge the battery.

Disconnecting the Jumper Cables

1. Disconnect the black (negative) jumper cable from the frame of the dead car.
2. Disconnect the black cable from the negative terminal of the good battery.
3. Disconnect the red (positive) jumper cable from the positive terminal of the good battery.
4. Disconnect the red cable from the positive terminal of the dead battery.

Troubleshooting

• If the engine of the car with the dead battery doesn’t start, check the following:
• Make sure the jumper cables are connected properly.
• Make sure the battery terminals are clean and free of corrosion.
• Try revving the engine of the car with the good battery higher.
• If the engine still doesn’t start, the battery may be too dead to be jump started.

Additional Tips

• If you’re having trouble starting your car, try turning on the headlights for a few minutes before attempting to jump start it.
• If you jump start your car too many times, you may damage the battery.
• It’s a good idea to keep a set of jumper cables in your car in case of emergencies.