05 — DIY
Jump start a dead battery
Medium⏱ 10 minutes💰 Roadside assistance call or tow truck cost
⚠️
Safety warning
Safety first — get completely off the road before attempting this. If you are on a highway with no safe shoulder, stay in the car with your seatbelt on and call roadside assistance.
Safety first — get completely off the road before attempting this. If you are on a highway with no safe shoulder, stay in the car with your seatbelt on and call roadside assistance.
💡
Tip — A portable jump starter is the smarter investment. It fits in your glove box, costs $40 to $80, and means you are never dependent on a stranger or another car.
Step 1 of 617%
Get safe first and gather what you need
Safety first — pull completely off the road onto a flat, stable surface. Hazards on. If there is no safe shoulder, stay buckled and call roadside assistance. Never attempt this in an active highway lane. Once you are safe, you will need jumper cables, $20 to $40 — keep them in your car always. Even better: a portable jump starter, $40 to $80, which means you never need another car. Red cable = positive (+). Black cable = negative (−). Never let the red and black clamps touch each other once the cables are connected.
⚠️Safety — Never attempt this in an active highway lane.