How to Jump Start a Nissan Xterra

1. Park the two vehicles close enough for the batteries to be near each other, making sure the vehicles do not touch.
2. Apply the parking brake, shift to N (manual) or P (automatic), and switch off unnecessary electrical systems.
3. Check that the battery vent caps are level and tight.
4. Connect the jumper cables in the illustrated sequence A, B, C, D: positive to positive, negative to body ground, not to the battery.
5. Start the booster vehicle's engine and let it run a few minutes, then hold it at about 2,000 rpm and start your engine.
6. Once your engine runs, carefully disconnect the negative cable first and then the positive cable.

• Keep cables away from moving parts and keep cable clamps from touching other metal.
• Do not run the starter more than 10 seconds; if it fails, turn the key off and wait 3 to 4 seconds.
• Do not push start the vehicle; automatic models also cannot be tow-started.

Source: 2015 Nissan Xterra owner's manual, PDF pages 300, 301. 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.