Jump Starting a Car with an Automatic Transmission

Safety Precautions

Before you begin, it is important to take the following safety precautions:

• Park both vehicles in a safe location, away from traffic.
• Turn off the engines of both vehicles.
• Engage the parking brakes on both vehicles.
• Wear gloves and safety glasses to protect yourself from sparks or acid.
• Do not smoke or use any open flames near the batteries.

Materials Needed

You will need the following materials to jump start your car:

• A pair of jumper cables
• A good battery in another vehicle

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps to jump start your car:

1. Open the hoods of both vehicles.
2. Locate the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals on both batteries.
3. Connect one end of the red (positive) jumper cable to the positive terminal of the good battery.
4. Connect the other end of the red jumper cable to the positive terminal of the dead battery.
5. Connect one end of the black (negative) jumper cable to the negative terminal of the good battery.
6. Connect the other end of the black jumper cable to an unpainted metal surface on the engine block of the dead car.
7. Start the engine of the good car and let it run for a few minutes.
8. Attempt to start the engine of the dead car.
9. If the engine starts, remove the jumper cables in the reverse order that you connected them.
10. Allow the engine of the dead car to run for at least 30 minutes to recharge the battery.

Troubleshooting

If you are unable to jump start your car, there may be a problem with the battery, the starter, or the alternator. You should have the car inspected by a mechanic to determine the cause of the problem.

Additional Tips

Here are a few additional tips for jump starting a car with an automatic transmission:

• Do not try to jump start a car with a completely dead battery.
• Do not connect the jumper cables to the battery terminals in the wrong order.
• Do not allow the jumper cables to touch each other or any other metal surfaces.
• If you are unable to jump start the car after several attempts, stop and call for assistance.