{"id":6564,"date":"2019-05-05T00:09:02","date_gmt":"2019-05-05T07:09:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogv2prod.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/?p=6564"},"modified":"2025-03-24T15:52:15","modified_gmt":"2025-03-24T22:52:15","slug":"how-to-tell-positive-and-negative-terminals-on-a-car-battery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-to-tell-positive-and-negative-terminals-on-a-car-battery\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Tell Positive and Negative Terminals on a Car Battery"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 5<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><style>.kadence-column6564_50ef5e-64 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column6564_50ef5e-64 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column6564_50ef5e-64 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column6564_50ef5e-64 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column6564_50ef5e-64 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column6564_50ef5e-64 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column6564_50ef5e-64{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column6564_50ef5e-64 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column6564_50ef5e-64 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column6564_50ef5e-64 inner-column-1 qk-look-widget\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-row ultp-block-a6d37d  qk-main-wrap\"><div class=\"ultp-row-wrapper\"><div class=\"ultp-row-content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-column ultp-block-073572\"><div class=\"ultp-column-wrapper\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading6564_01174f-e7, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading6564_01174f-e7[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading6564_01174f-e7\"]{text-align:center;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading6564_01174f-e7 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading6564_01174f-e7[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading6564_01174f-e7\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-family:Inter;font-weight:500;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading6564_01174f-e7 img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading6564_01174f-e7[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading6564_01174f-e7\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"kt-adv-heading6564_01174f-e7 summary-title wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading6564_01174f-e7\"><span>Summary<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>In most cases, the positive terminal will have a plus sign while the negative terminal will have a minus sign.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When jumping a dead battery, attach the red cable to the positive terminal and attach the black cable to the negative terminal.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do not connect the negative (black) jumper cable to the negative battery terminal of the dead battery. Doing so can create sparks that ignite the hydrogen fumes from the battery.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>So, you&rsquo;re stranded in a strip mall parking lot with a dead battery. Thankfully, there&rsquo;s a kind passerby who&rsquo;s willing to give you a jump start, and you&rsquo;ve got jumper cables in the trunk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But there&rsquo;s just one problem&mdash;you don&rsquo;t know how to hook them up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why? Because you can&rsquo;t remember which battery terminal is positive and which is negative. Hopefully, you&rsquo;ve got your smartphone handy, so you can view this article and get clarification. Then you can get a jumpstart and (hopefully) be back on the road.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/automotive-battery-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"automotive battery\" class=\"wp-image-13193\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/automotive-battery-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/automotive-battery-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/automotive-battery-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/automotive-battery-600x400.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/automotive-battery-150x100.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/automotive-battery.jpeg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Typically, there is a red protective cover over the positive battery terminal.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Tell Which Side of the Battery is Positive and Negative <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most batteries have a plus (+) and a minus (-) sign stamped into the case. These signs are also accompanied by colors, which are usually red and black.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"article-search-widget\">\n<div class=\"cp-search\">\n<div align=\"center\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cld.partsimg.com\/image\/upload\/w_auto,dpr_auto\/carparts\/logos\/badge_wordmark\/full_color\/CP_LOGO_COLOUR_RGB\" alt=\"CarParts.com\" width=\"300\" height=\"56\">\n<\/div>\n<form id=\"cpsearchform\" name=\"cpsearchform\" action=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/search\" method=\"get\" target=\"_blank\" accept-charset=\"character_set\" aria-label=\"search CarParts.com\">\n    <input type=\"text\" class=\"keyword\" name=\"q\" placeholder=\"Search for parts on CarParts.com\" value=\"\" aria-label=\"Search CarParts.com\"><input type=\"submit\" class=\"btn-search\" value=\"Search\" aria-label=\"Search\">\n<\/form>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Color is Positive on a Car Battery? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Some people wonder: Is red positive on a car battery? And the answer is: Yes&mdash;at least most of the time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Typically, there is a red protective cover (or a black cover featuring a red plus (+) sign) over the positive battery terminal. The cover is there to prevent accidental shorting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/battery-terminal-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"battery terminals\" class=\"wp-image-13192\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/battery-terminal-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/battery-terminal-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/battery-terminal-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/battery-terminal-600x400.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/battery-terminal-150x100.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/battery-terminal.jpeg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Most batteries also have a positive and negative sign stamped into the case.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In many cases, the battery cable itself will also be red in color. Though sometimes it&rsquo;s black (or just really dirty), so you can&rsquo;t always go by color alone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Color is Negative on a Car Battery?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The negative battery cable is almost always black in color. But, as was mentioned, the positive cable may also appear to be black. That&rsquo;s why you should always look for the plus (+) and minus (-) signs stamped into the battery case. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Hook Up Jumper Cables<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jumper-cables-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"jumper cables\" class=\"wp-image-13195\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jumper-cables-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jumper-cables-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jumper-cables-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jumper-cables-600x400.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jumper-cables-150x100.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jumper-cables.jpeg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The good battery should have the positive jumper cable attached to the positive battery terminal and the negative jumper cable attached to the negative battery terminal.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Jump starting a vehicle with a set of jumper cables is pretty easy. Here&rsquo;s how it&rsquo;s done:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Warning:<\/strong> Mixing up the jumper cables or touching the cable ends together can damage the vehicle and potentially cause personal injury. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Put on your safety glasses and protective gloves.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Attach one end of the positive (red) jumper cable to the positive terminal of the dead battery.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Attach the other end of the positive (red) jumper cable to the positive terminal of the good battery.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Attach one end of the negative (black) jumper cable to the negative terminal of the good battery.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Attach the other end of the negative (black) jumper cable to a ground location on the vehicle with the dead battery. Heavy-duty, bare metal parts of the engine or chassis make good points for a ground connection.<br><em><strong>Warning:<\/strong> Do not connect the negative (black) jumper cable to the negative battery terminal of the dead battery. Doing so can create sparks that ignite the hydrogen fumes from the battery. <\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Double-check that the connections are secure.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Start the vehicle with the good battery and bring engine speed up to around 1,500 &ndash; 2,000 RPMs. Maintain that engine speed for a couple of minutes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Start the vehicle with the dead battery.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Once the engine begins running, disconnect the negative jumper cable that&rsquo;s attached to ground.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Remove the negative and positive jumper cables from the vehicle with the known good battery.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Remove the positive jumper cable from the vehicle that needed a jumpstart.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Allow the engine to run for approximately 30 minutes so that the alternator can charge the battery.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jumpstarting-a-car-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"jumpstarting a car\" class=\"wp-image-13196\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jumpstarting-a-car-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jumpstarting-a-car-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jumpstarting-a-car-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jumpstarting-a-car-600x400.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jumpstarting-a-car-150x100.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jumpstarting-a-car.jpeg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">On the vehicle with the dead battery, connect the negative jumper cable to engine or chassis ground.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The video below demonstrates the steps listed above: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How to Properly Jump Start a Car\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/iI1o2hNy2hE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When in Doubt, Consult Your Owner&rsquo;s Manual <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Still confused about battery terminals, jumper cables, and jumpstarting? No problem! The owner&rsquo;s manual for your car lists detailed instructions on jumpstarting and battery care.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What&rsquo;s more, if you&rsquo;ve misplaced the print copy of your owner&rsquo;s manual, digital versions are often available online. You can get them through the vehicle manufacturer&rsquo;s website (e.g., Toyota.com).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But as a general rule, always connect positive terminals first then the negatives. When disconnecting the terminals from the dead battery, pull out the negative terminals followed by the positive ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When installing a new battery, connect the positive terminal followed by the negative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Remember This Non-Negotiable Rule<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Jump starting a dead battery or installing a new one isn&rsquo;t the only situation where you have to disconnect the negative terminal. This rule applies to most repair jobs that involve a vehicle&rsquo;s electrical system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Failure to disconnect the negative battery terminal increases the risk of a nearby tool or object shorting out against the positive battery terminal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During instances where you have to remove only one battery terminal, always go for the negative one. Leaving the connection at the positive terminal won&rsquo;t impose any safety risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Getting Your Hands on a Replacement Car Battery<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If there&rsquo;s something wrong with your car battery&rsquo;s terminals, you might be better off getting a new one. Fortunately, finding a new car battery is easy with the help of <a href=\"http:\/\/carparts.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" aria-label=\"CarParts.com\">CarParts.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You won&rsquo;t have to worry about your new car battery dying on you any time soon &mdash; we make sure our products are just as good as your stock parts. Our car batteries are carefully vetted by a team of professionals to guarantee their quality and longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The best part? You don&rsquo;t even have to leave your home to order a new car battery. Simply use your mobile device or computer to visit our website. Then, fill out our vehicle selector and use the search filters to find direct-fit batteries that match your preferred brand, price, type, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On top of that, our warehouses are strategically located all over the US, so you&rsquo;ll be able to receive your order within a matter of days. We&rsquo;ll also help you get the most value for your money with our unbeatable deals and competitive prices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out our catalog and order your new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/battery\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"battery\">battery<\/a> today!<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 5<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>So, you&rsquo;re stranded in a strip mall parking lot with a dead battery. Thankfully, there&rsquo;s a kind passerby who&rsquo;s willing&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-to-tell-positive-and-negative-terminals-on-a-car-battery\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":6565,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[52,3758],"tags":[73,386],"ppma_author":[2607,2855],"class_list":{"0":"post-6564","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-diy","8":"category-electrical-system","9":"tag-battery","10":"tag-battery-cable","11":"entry"},"acf":{"adrotate_specific_mobile_ad":"","adrotate_specific_desktop_ad":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Tell Positive and Negative Terminals on a Car Battery - In The Garage with CarParts.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Differentiating the positive and negative terminals on a car battery is elementary. Here\u2019s how to spot their differences.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-to-tell-positive-and-negative-terminals-on-a-car-battery\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Tell Positive and Negative Terminals on a Car Battery - In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Differentiating the positive and negative terminals on a car battery is elementary. Here\u2019s how to spot their differences.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-to-tell-positive-and-negative-terminals-on-a-car-battery\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-05-05T07:09:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-03-24T22:52:15+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/man-checking-the-polarity-of-his-car-battery.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"667\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-tell-positive-and-negative-terminals-on-a-car-battery\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-tell-positive-and-negative-terminals-on-a-car-battery\\\/\"},\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"$id\":\"4\",\"name\":\"CarParts.com Research Team\",\"jobTitle\":\"Expert Automotive Writer\",\"description\":\"The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. 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