Page 206 of 385
Other Warning Devices 
If you carry reflective triangles, you can use  them  to  warn  others. Set  one up 
at the side of the road about 300 feet (100 m) behind  your vehicle. 
Jump Starting 
If your battery (or batteries) has run  down,  you may want  to use another 
vehicle  and some  jumper  cables  to start your vehicle. 
But please follow the 
steps  below to do it safely. 
NOTICE: 
Ignoring  these  steps  could  result  in  costly damage to your 
vehicle  that  wouldn’t  be covered by your  vehicle  warranty. 
Trying 
to start  your  vehicle by pushing or pulling  it  could 
damage  your  vehicle,  even if you  have 
a manual  transmission. 
And  if you  have  an  automatic  transmission,  it  won’t start  that 
way. 
5-3 
ProCarManuals.com 
     
        
        Page 207 of 385

Tu Jump Start Your Vehicle; 
1. Check the other  vehicle.  It  must  have  a  12-volt  battery  with a negative 
ground system. 
I NOTICE: 
I 
If  the  other  system  isn’t a 12-volt  system  with  a  negative 
ground,  both  vehicles  can  be  damaged. 
If you have a diesel  engine  vehicle  with  two  batteries  (or more), 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,  use the  battery  that’s  on the 
passenger  side 
of the vehicle - this  will  reduce  electrical resistance. 
2. Get  the  vehicles  close enough so the jumper  cables can  reach,  but  be 
sure the  vehicle’s  aren’t  touching  each  other. 
If they are, it could cause 
a  ground  connection 
you don’t want. You wouldn’t  be  able to start  your 
vehicle, and  the  bad grounding could damage  the  electrical  systems. 
You  could  be  injured  if 
the vehicles  roll.  Set the  parking  brake  firmly 
on each  vehicle.  Put an  automatic  transmission in “P’ (Park) or a 
manual  transmission  in “N’ (Neutral).  If you have a four-wheel-drive 
vehicle,  be sure  the transfer  case  is not in  “N”  (Neutral). 
3. Turn off the  ignition on both  vehicles. Turn off  all  lights  that  aren’t 
needed,  and  radios.  This will  avoid  sparks  and  help  save both  batteries. 
And  it could save  your radio! 
NOTICE: 
If  you  leave  your  radio  on,  it could  be  badly  damaged.  The 
repairs  wouldn’t 
be covered by your  warranty. 
4. Open the hoods  and locate  the  batteries.  Find  the  positive (+) and 
negative 
(-) terminals on each  battery. 
5-4 
ProCarManuals.com 
     
        
        Page 208 of 385
5. Check that the jumper  cables don’t have loose or missing  insulation. If 
they do, you could get a shock.  The vehicles  could be damaged,  too. 
Before  you connect  the cables,  here are some  basic things  you  should 
know.  Positive 
(+) will go  to  positive (+) and negative (-) will  go to 
negative (-) or a metal  engine  part.  Don’t  connect (+) to (-) or you’ll 
get a short  that would damage the battery  and  maybe  other parts,  too. 
5-5 
ProCarManuals.com