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Acura TSX: How to Jump Start Battery

Getting your car back on the road as soon as possible is what really matters. This article will teach you how to jump start your TSX.

By Jared Hammond - May 13, 2016

This article applies to the Acura TSX (2004-2014).

Just because your car won't start doesn't necessarily mean you have a bad battery. It could be that the battery has been drained by something that's been kept running. Sometimes, during the winter it can be hard for a battery to pull out enough amps to crank the engine. You need to be prepared for when this happens by knowing how to jump start your car.

Materials Needed

  • A second car or jump starter kit
  • Jumper cables

Step 1 – Hook up jumper cables

Pull the hood release latch on the driver's side kick panel, then lift the catch and push up the hood. There is a certain order you want to follow when connecting jumper cables to batteries. You want to do it in this order to limit the risk of accidentally setting off a spark.

Figure 1. The red cable goes to the positive terminal. Black cable goes to the negative terminal.

First, start by clamping the red jumper cable to the positive terminal on the dead battery. Second, clamp the red jumper cable to the positive terminal on the good battery. Third, clamp the black jumper cable to the negative terminal on the good battery. Fourth, clamp the other end of the black jumper cable to a piece of unpainted metal on the car with the dead battery. This can be a bolt or some other grounding point so long as it is not too close to the dead battery.

Figure 2. Hook up the jumper cables.

Step 2 – Jump start the battery

Start the engine on the car with the good battery and let it run for a few minutes. You need to give it enough time to build up charge in the dead battery. When you've waited long enough, start the car with the dead battery. If it still doesn't start, double check the clamps on the jumper cables to make sure they're actually making contact with the battery terminals. Also try cleaning off any corrosion on the battery terminals. If that doesn't help then it's possible that the battery is actually dead for good and needs to be replaced.

Once you've successfully jump started the battery, you can remove the jumper cables. Leave the car running so that the alternator can charge the battery. Remove them in the reverse order that you connected them. First remove the black jumper cable from the car with the dead battery. Second, remove the black jumper cable from the car with the good battery. Third, remove the red jumper cable from the car with the good battery. Fourth, remove the red jumper cable from the car with the dead battery.

Pro Tip

If you have a jump starter kit this process is even easier. All you need to do is connect the positive and negative cables on the jump starter to the positive and negative terminals on the dead battery. Then you just turn on the jump starter and let it charge the battery.

Featured Video: Replacing Battery on Acura TSX

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