How to Jump Start a Ford Explorer

1. Park the booster vehicle close to the hood of the disabled vehicle without letting the two vehicles touch, and use only a 12 volt supply.
2. Open the hood, remove the access cover, and take the red protective cover off the positive (+) jump connection point.
3. Clamp the positive (+) jumper cable to the positive (+) terminal of the discharged battery.
4. Clamp the other end of the positive (+) cable to the positive (+) terminal of the booster vehicle battery.
5. Clamp the negative (-) cable to the negative (-) terminal of the booster vehicle battery.
6. Make the last negative (-) connection to a ground point or exposed engine metal on the disabled vehicle, away from the battery and fuel injection system.
7. Start the booster engine at 2000 RPM to 3000 RPM, then start the disabled vehicle and run both engines three more minutes.
8. Remove the jumper cables in the reverse order that they were connected.

• The negative (-) jump connection point is on the rear mounting bolt for the cross brace.
• If you use a jump pack or booster box, follow the manufacturer's instructions.
• Do not switch the headlamps on when disconnecting the cables, as the peak voltage could blow the bulbs.

Source: 2026 Ford Explorer owner's manual, PDF pages 350, 351, 352. Steps are summarized in our own words (AI-assisted, checked against the cited pages 2026-10-18). Other model years can differ; your manual has the final word.