how to jump a car with leads

Pop both bonnets, turn everything off, and check you’re dealing with 12‑volt lead‑acid batteries (hybrids and some stop‑start cars need special procedures—read the manual). Connect red clamp to the dead battery’s +, then the other red to the donor’s +; black to the donor’s –, and the final black to a clean, unpainted metal point on the dead car away from the battery. Start the donor, wait a minute, then try the dead car; give it a bit more time if it’s sulking. Once running, remove the leads in reverse order—ground off first, then donor –, donor +, and finally the dead car’s +—and keep the clamps clear of spinny bits. Let the revived car idle for 15–20 minutes or take it for a drive to recharge. If it dies again, suspect a crook battery or charging system rather than morning moodiness.