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Jeep Cherokee 1984-2001: How to Jump Start Battery

Chances are, at some point, you're going to have a dead car battery on your hands. This how-to is here to show you what to do.

By Jared Hammond - September 8, 2015

This article applies to the Jeep Cherokee XJ (1984-2001).

A dead car battery can happen at any time and most often when it's the least convenient. Most people will have to jump start their battery at some point in their vehicle's lifetime, so it's important to know how to do it properly. The instructions below are how to appropriately jump start a Jeep Cherokee.

Materials Needed

  • A pair of jumper cables
  • A second car or a portable charger

Step 1 – Open the hood

Look for the hood release at the bottom left of the dash panel on the driver's side of the cabin. Pull the release cable and the hood will pop open. Lift up the safety clip and then lift the hood. To keep the hood open, pull up the prop stick and insert it in the hood.

Figure 1. The XJ engine bay; battery is located at the bottom-left.

Step 2 – Connect your positive jumper cable

Take the red positive jumper cable and attach one clamp lead to the positive terminal on the dead battery. Make sure that the teeth of the clamp are firmly gripping the terminal. Then take the other lead of the jumper cable and attach it to the positive terminal on your working battery.

Figure 2. The XJ battery with terminals marked.

Warning

Make sure to remove any metal rings or bracelets before you start. If these accidentally touch the battery, it could close the circuit and burn your hand.

Step 3 – Connect your negative jumper cable

Take the black negative jumper cable and attach the clamp lead to the negative terminal on the working battery. Then take the other lead to attach it to an open and unpainted piece of metal that's away from the dead battery. An open bolt on the engine block would also work. The reason for this is because attaching the lead to the negative terminal on the battery usually creates sparks, which can (on rare occasion) ignite the hydrogen buildup inside the dead battery.

Step 4 – Start both vehicles

Start the second vehicle first and let it run for a few minutes to charge the dead battery. After waiting some time, start the ignition on the Jeep and let it run for a few minutes as well.

Step 5 – Remove the jumper cables

Once the Jeep has run long enough for the battery to charge, you should shut off both vehicles before removing the jumper cables. You'll need to remove the cables in the reverse order you connected them. First remove the negative lead from the Jeep. Then the negative lead from the second car. Remove the positive lead on the second car, and then remove the positive lead on the Jeep.

If the Jeep fails to start after being charged, then it's likely that the battery is bad and needs to be replaced. If your battery has died repeatedly, then either the battery is bad or the the alternator is failing to maintain it, in which case the alternator will need to be replaced.

Pro Tip

If your car battery was completely drained, driving around for a few minutes may not be enough to fully charge it. Plug it in to a wall charger as soon as possible to ensure that it's fully charged.

(Related Article: How to Replace Battery - CherokeeForum.com)

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