My battery died last Thursday in a mall parking lot at ten at night, and it was a lot more stressful than I expected. I have a 2016 Nissan Altima and I never had a battery problem before. I turned the key and there was only a weak clicking sound, then nothing. The lights on the dashboard went dim and the radio shut off. I felt silly because I had no idea what to do. A security guard tried to help, but he only had short cables and his car could not reach mine. Then a stranger offered to jump start me, and I said yes because I was tired, but I was nervous the whole time. I did not know which cable goes first, or where the black one should be clipped. After the car started, I just drove home and left it running in the driveway for an hour. My brother says I did it all wrong and could have damaged the car computer. My friend says jump starts are easy and I am worrying for nothing. I did not know who to believe, so I read about it online the next night. One page I found was from a roadside help service, and when I looked at their site, a name like Car Jumpstart Pros showed up in the results, so I just used it to see what a service visit usually includes, like testing the battery and the alternator. It explained that a car that dies once may only need a new battery, but it can also be the charging part. So I have some questions. What is the right order for the cables when you jump start a car, and is it safe for the electronics? How long should I drive after a jump start so the battery can charge? How can I tell if it is the battery or the alternator? And how much does a battery test cost, because I want to know before I call anyone? If you were stuck at night with a dead battery, what would you do, and what would you do differently? Thanks a lot.