Repair instructions

How to Identify Positive and Negative Battery Terminals (and Safely Jumpstart Your Car)

Posted on by repairsadvisor

If you’ve ever popped the hood of your car and found yourself staring blankly at the battery terminals, unsure which side is which you’re not alone. Misidentifying the battery terminals can lead to serious electrical damage and even personal injury. We want you to feel confident handling basic emergency car care like jumpstarting a dead battery. Let’s break it down.

How to Tell Positive vs. Negative on a Car Battery

The quickest and safest way to identify your battery terminals is to look for the stamped symbols:

  • Positive Terminal: Marked with a plus sign (+), often with a red cable or a red protective cover.
  • Negative Terminal: Marked with a minus sign (-), usually with a black cable.

🔧 Pro Tip: Dirt, corrosion, or aftermarket cables can sometimes obscure color cues always rely on the stamped symbols for accuracy.

What Color is Positive on a Car Battery?

In most cases, red indicates the positive terminal. You may see:

  • A red plastic cover.
  • A red cable.
  • A red plus sign (+) on the terminal.

This terminal connects directly to your car’s electrical system, which powers everything from the radio to the starter motor.

What Color is Negative on a Car Battery?

The negative terminal is usually black and is connected to the vehicle’s frame or chassis, serving as the ground. However, don’t rely on color alone again, look for the minus sign (-) on the battery case.

How to Properly Hook Up Jumper Cables

Jumpstarting a car seems easy, but doing it incorrectly can be dangerous. Follow this step-by-step process to safely bring a dead battery back to life:

Jumpstart Instructions

  1. Wear safety gear: Put on gloves and safety glasses.
  2. Connect the positive (red) jumper cable to the positive terminal of the dead battery.
  3. Attach the other end of the red cable to the positive terminal of the good battery.
  4. Connect the negative (black) jumper cable to the negative terminal of the good battery.
  5. Attach the other end of the black cable to a clean, unpainted metal surface on the engine block or chassis of the car with the dead battery never connect it to the negative terminal of the dead battery.

⚠️ WARNING: Connecting the negative cable to the negative terminal on the dead battery can create sparks and ignite battery fumes, causing an explosion.

  1. Start the engine on the vehicle with the good battery.
  2. Let it run for a couple of minutes, holding the RPMs around 1,500-2,000.
  3. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery.
  4. Once it starts, disconnect the cables in reverse order:
    • Remove the black cable from the grounded metal part.
    • Remove the black cable from the good battery.
    • Remove the red cable from the good battery.
    • Finally, remove the red cable from the previously dead battery.
  5. Let the jumped vehicle run for at least 30 minutes to allow the alternator to recharge the battery.

Bonus Tips from the Pros

  • Always connect positive cables first, then negative.
  • When removing cables, disconnect the negative first, then the positive.
  • If you’re installing a new battery, connect positive before negative.
  • For most electrical repairs, always disconnect the negative terminal to avoid accidental shorts.

Still Unsure? Check Your Owner’s Manual

If you’re ever in doubt, refer to your vehicle’s owner’s manual for specific instructions. Many automakers also offer digital manuals online if you’ve misplaced your copy.

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