This three-chapter field manual shows a careful beginner how to jump-start a car the right way. Chapter 1 covers fundamentals and setup: confirm a standard twelve-volt system, position the vehicles, read battery condition, choose a safe ground on the dead car, and memorize the clamp order. You’ll learn why the final negative clamp never goes on the dead battery and how to route cables clear of belts and fans.

Chapter 2 is execution and testing: attach clamps in the correct sequence, give a one-to-three-minute pre-charge, and attempt short five-second starts with rests between tries. If the engine fires, you’ll stabilize idle, remove clamps in the safe order, and verify health with quick cues and optional meter readings around fourteen volts at idle.

Chapter 3 handles troubleshooting and prevention: find faults in order—clamps, cables, battery, belt, alternator, starter controls. Learn when to stop and call for a tow, how to clean corrosion safely with baking-soda water, and how to maintain cables and a portable jump pack. Finish with a twice-yearly check routine and a glove-box card listing clamp order, pre-charge timing, and voltage targets. The goal is safety, clarity, and a reliable start without damage.