1. Locate a Good Samaritan with a working car. Ask a friend or family member, or look for someone in a parking lot or gas station who is willing to help.
2. Park the cars close together, but not touching. The cars should be close enough so that the jumper cables can reach, but not so close that they touch. If the cars are too close together, they could spark and cause a fire.
3. Turn off the engines of both cars. This will help to prevent any electrical damage to either car.
4. Open the hoods of both cars. This will give you access to the batteries.
5. Locate the positive and negative terminals on both batteries. The positive terminal is usually marked with a "+" sign, while the negative terminal is marked with a "-" sign.
6. Connect one end of the red (positive) jumper cable to the positive terminal of the dead battery.
7. Connect the other end of the red (positive) jumper cable to the positive terminal of the working battery.
8. Connect one end of the black (negative) jumper cable to the negative terminal of the working battery.
9. Connect the other end of the black (negative) jumper cable to an unpainted metal surface on the dead car, such as the engine block.
10. Start the working car and let it run for a few minutes. This will help to charge the dead battery.
11. Try to start the dead car. If it starts, keep it running for a few minutes more to charge the battery. If the dead car does not start, the battery may be too dead or damaged to be jump-started.
12. Disconnect the jumper cables in the reverse order that you connected them. This will help to prevent sparks that could cause a fire.
13. Close the hoods of both cars.
14. Drive both cars for at least 15 minutes so that the batteries can fully recharge.
If the dead car does not start after the above steps have been followed, there may be a problem with the battery, the starter, or the alternator. You should have the car diagnosed by a qualified mechanic.
* If the dead car does start, but the engine stalls when the jumper cables are disconnected, the battery is likely too weak to hold a charge. You should replace the battery as soon as possible.
* If the dead car does not start and has no or weak electrical power (e.g., the headlights are dim or do not come on at all), the battery may be completely dead or the alternator may be faulty. You should have the car towed to a qualified mechanic.
