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How to use a jump starter, step by step

Updated September 18, 2026

Check the battery, turn everything off, connect red to positive and black to negative or ground, turn the pack on and wait for the ready light, then start the car. If it does not start, wait before trying again. Afterward, power the pack off, remove the clamps and drive to recharge the battery.

Before you connect

• Look at the battery. AAA says a cracked or bulging case, or a rotten egg smell, means replace it, not jump it.
• Confirm it is a 12 volt battery. Our picks are all 12 volt packs.
• Park or neutral, parking brake on, key off.
• Take off rings and watches, as AAA advises, and put on safety glasses.
• NOCO says to turn off every power load first: headlights, radio, air conditioning.

The steps

1. Red clamp to the positive (+) battery terminal.
2. Black clamp to the negative (-) terminal or a bare metal ground point, whichever your vehicle manual and pack manual call for. Some cars have remote jump posts under the hood.
3. Power on the pack. On a NOCO Boost, the white Boost LED means ready and a red error LED means the clamps are reversed. On a GOOLOO smart cable, a steady green light means ready and a steady red light with a beep means reversed.
4. Start the car. NOCO says most vehicles start right away, and some need the pack connected for up to 30 seconds first.
5. If it does not start, wait 20 to 30 seconds and try again. NOCO says no more than 5 tries in 15 minutes, then let the pack rest 15 minutes. GOOLOO's cable shuts its output off if you try more than 4 starts in 2 minutes.
6. Once it runs, power the pack off, then remove the clamps, black first.

If nothing lights up

The battery may be too drained for the pack to see. That is what manual override or BOOST mode is for, and it turns protections off. Read can a jump starter start a completely dead battery before you use it.

After the jump

• AAA says a 20 to 30 minute drive is usually needed to recharge the battery, with big loads like the rear defroster off.
• Have the battery checked. AAA notes one that is more than three years old may not hold a charge overnight.
• Recharge the pack when you get home.

Which pack

For most cars, the NOCO Boost GB40 has clear lights and a 6.0 liter gas rating. Caveat: its diesel rating stops at 3.0 liters. For bigger engines, check the size picker and the five picks.

Safety: never jump a frozen, cracked or leaking battery. Keep clamps from touching each other. Follow your vehicle manual and the pack manual over any general guide, including this one.