How to Jumpstart a Toyota

Have you ever walked out to your car in the morning and realized the battery is dead? Maybe you left the lights on, or maybe your electrical system isn’t operating at its best; either way, the dreaded signs of a flat battery can ruin your day. 

The good news is that it’s easy to jumpstart most Toyota cars, trucks, and SUVs. In this Toyota jumpstart guide, we’ll explain how to jumpstart a Toyota and what to watch out for. 

How to Jumpstart Your Toyota Car: A Step-by-Step Guide

The first thing you’ll need to do is work out where your battery is located—usually under the hood. You’ll also need a pair of jumper cables and another car to jumpstart your own from. We’ll call this the “donor” vehicle. 

Once you’re ready, here’s how to jumpstart a Toyota: 

1. Open the hood of your vehicle and prop it up using the hood prop. 
2. Pull the donor vehicle close so that the jumper cables can reach between the batteries. 
3. Locate the battery terminals on both vehicles: For this step, consult your owner’s manual. Many vehicles have a remote negative terminal, which is used for jump-starting. 
4. Make sure your jumper cable clamps are not touching each other.
5. Ensure both vehicles are turned off. This will protect sensitive electrical components.
6. Connect the positive (red) jumper cables first—first to the dead vehicle, then to the donor.
7. Next, connect the negative (black) jumper cables. This order is important to prevent a surge or a short.
8. Make sure your cables are routed away from fans or moving parts. 
9. Start the donor (good battery) vehicle first. 
10. Next, attempt to start the dead battery vehicle.
11. If it starts, disconnect the cables in reverse order—negative first, then positive.

It’s that easy to jumpstart a Toyota. If your car doesn’t start right away, let the donor vehicle idle for a few minutes to add more charge to the dead battery. 

Things to Check After Jumpstarting a Vehicle

Sometimes the reason for a dead battery is obvious, but not always. If you have to jump-start your vehicle for no apparent reason or multiple times in a row, it’s important to take your car to a certified Toyota service center. 

At Mark Jacobson Toyota, we have the right tools and know-how to diagnose your Toyota charging system and identify any issues with your battery or alternator. We can also make sure that the sensitive electronic components of your Toyota are working correctly after a jump start and tell if you need a Toyota battery replacement. 

Service Your Battery Charging System at Mark Jacobson Toyota 

The Mark Jacobson Toyota commitment to the Durham community goes far beyond helping Raleigh-area drivers find the right Toyota vehicle for their families. We pride ourselves on industry-leading service and customer satisfaction, and that’s why so many North Carolina drivers trust us to care for their Toyota. 

Schedule your visit with our easy online scheduling tool or stop by our convenient Chapel Hill Boulevard location to book your Toyota service or repair. 

No matter how big or small your job is, at Mark Jacobson Toyota, We Say Yes! 

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