Jump Starting

For more information about the vehicle battery, see Battery on page 10‑31.

If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the hybrid supplement for more information.

If the vehicle's battery (or batteries) has run down, you may want to use another vehicle and some jumper cables to start your vehicle. Be sure to use the following steps to do it safely.

Notice: Ignoring these steps could result in costly damage to the vehicle that would not be covered by the warranty.

Trying to start the vehicle by pushing or pulling it will not work, and it could damage the vehicle.

1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt battery with a negative ground system.

Notice: Only use a vehicle that has a 12-volt system with a negative ground for jump starting. If the other vehicle does not have a 12-volt system with a negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.

2. If you have a vehicle with a diesel engine with two batteries, you should know before you begin that, especially in cold weather, you may not be able to get enough power from a single battery in another vehicle to start your diesel engine. If your vehicle has more than one battery, using the battery that is closer to the starter will reduce electrical resistance. This is located on the passenger side, in the rear of the engine compartment.

3. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables can reach, but be sure the vehicles are not touching each other. If they are, it could cause an unwanted ground connection. You would not be able to start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could damage the electrical systems.

To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set the parking brake firmly on both vehicles involved in the jump start procedure. Put the automatic transmission in P (Park) or a manual transmission in Neutral before setting the parking brake.

If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear, not in Neutral.

Notice: If any accessories are left on or plugged in during the jump starting procedure, they could be damaged. The repairs would not be covered by the vehicle warranty. Whenever possible, turn off or unplug all accessories on either vehicle when jump starting the vehicle.

4. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette lighter or the accessory power outlets. Turn off the radio and all the lamps that are not needed. This will avoid sparks and help save both batteries.

And it could save the radio!

5. Open the hood on the other vehicle and locate the positive (+) and negative (−) terminal locations on that vehicle.

The positive (+) terminal, is located under a red plastic cover at the positive battery post. To uncover the positive (+) terminal, open the red plastic cover.