You depend on your vehicle for the important things in life – caring for your loved ones, stocking necessities for your family, staying connected, and keeping our essential services running.
To help you learn how to jumpstart your car, check your fluid levels, and more, we’ve partnered with local organizations like the Girl Scouts of Central Indiana, Indiana Youth Group, and theCityMoms for car care clinics. Below is a virtual car care clinic, featuring tips and tools to help you care for your vehicles from the safety of your home.
How To Jump Start a Vehicle
When you are faced with a dead battery, follow these easy steps to get back on the road safely.
- Enlist the help of a working vehicle and connect the jumper cable clamps in the following order:
- Red on dead battery +
- Red on working battery +
- Black on working battery –
- Black on the bare metal of the dead battery vehicle
- Start the working car and rev the engine for 30 to 60 seconds.
- Attempt to start the vehicle with the dead battery while the jumper cables are still on. If the vehicle still does not start, readjust the jumper cable clamps and try again a few more times. If the vehicle never starts, then it is probably a bigger issue than just a dead battery.
- Remove the jumper cables in this order:
- Black from bare metal of the dead battery vehicle
- Black from working battery –
- Red from working battery +
- Red from dead battery +
Here is some more information on how to successfully jump a vehicle. If you’re still having issues visit any Jiffy Lube of Indiana. We also check your battery charge as part of the Signature Service Oil Change.
How to Check Your Tire Tread
Rodney shares some warning signs that your tires need to be replaced. There is 1/16 inch between the edge of a penny and the top of Lincoln’s head. Stick an upside-down penny into your tire grooves. If you can see the top of Lincoln’s head, your tires likely need to be replaced.
There are also special tread depth gauges you can purchase and use to measure your treads. Alternatively, visit any of our locations and we can check them for you. Here are some additional inspections you can do on your tires at home.
How to Check Your Oil Level
Checking your fluid levels between oil changes can assure you that your vehicle’s oil level isn’t too high or too low. Here are a few tips to check yours at home.
- Park your vehicle on a level surface and wait for the engine to cool.
- Locate the dipstick, it’s typically yellow or orange.
- Pull the dipstick all the way out and wipe it off with a clean rag.
- Insert the dipstick all the way back in and pull it out again.
- The oil on your dipstick should show somewhere in the range from L (low) to F (full). It’s best if your oil level is closer to the F mark.
Lonnie Hinkle, COO of Jiffy Lube of Indiana, joined Fox 59 to discuss the importance of at-home preventative maintenance. Whether your car has been sitting idle for a couple of weeks or you have been stretching the time between oil changes, knowing the basics of your vehicle will help you from running into any car trouble unexpectedly.
As always, you may stop by any Jiffy Lube of Indiana location and our experienced technicians will help you check these items. Our Signature Service Oil Change not only involves changing your oil, but also includes checking other fluid levels, wiper blades, exterior lights, tire pressure, as well as cleaning your exterior windows.
