how to jump start a car
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- January 10, 2013
If you own a car, you're going to have to deal with a dead battery every now and then. Despite your best efforts, you may forget to turn off the interior lights, accidentally leave the key in the ignition or do something else that causes the battery to slowly drain until it's dead. In some cases, a dead battery is truly dead and can't be revived. The only way to find out for sure is by trying to jump start your vehicle. Fortunately, it's easy to do.
What You'll Need
You only need two things to jump start a car: a pair of jumper cables and a vehicle with a working battery. In some instances, you may also need a stiff wire brush in order to clean the cables and terminals of your car's battery. For that kind of work, goggles and gloves are strongly recommended.
Is the Battery Really Dead?
Before trying to jump start a car, figure out whether or not the battery is truly dead. Try the following things:
- Put the key in the ignition. Do the lights on the dashboard light up at all? Does the
