These instructions apply to the Chevrolet Suburban (K2XX) 2015-2020.
For other models, please choose your vehicle here.
When a 2015–2020 Chevrolet Suburban (K2XX) won’t crank on a flat 12 V battery, you don’t reach for the battery posts — GM puts protected jump points under the hood for exactly this. Connect them in order and land the ground clamp on the engine, away from the battery, and any spark stays clear of battery gas. This is the US-market procedure.
- Bring a running 12 V donor alongside, not touching the Suburban. Set both parking brakes, put the automatics in P, and switch both ignitions off.
- If your Suburban has two batteries, work from the passenger-side main one. Slide back the red cover on the remote positive (+) stud.
- Clip the red (+) lead to that remote positive, and its other end to the donor’s positive (+).
- Clip the black (−) lead to the donor’s negative (−), and its other end to the resonator-support bracket on the Suburban’s engine — bare metal, never the dead battery’s negative post.
- Let the donor run a few minutes, then start the Suburban. Pull the leads off in the exact reverse order and refit the red cover.
FAQ
My Suburban has two batteries — which one?
Always jump from the passenger-side main battery’s remote positive terminal. Don’t connect to the driver-side auxiliary battery.
Why not clamp the dead battery’s negative post?
The final clamp sparks as it completes the circuit, and a charging battery gives off hydrogen. Grounding to the engine’s resonator bracket keeps that spark well away from the battery.
How long should the donor run first?
A few minutes, especially if the battery is deeply flat — it lets some charge flow before you crank the big V8.
It started, then died after I unplugged.
The battery isn’t holding charge or the alternator isn’t charging — have both tested before relying on the Suburban.
The Suburban is the extended-length version of the Chevrolet Tahoe and shares the Silverado’s GM running gear, so these steps are identical across all three — see our Chevrolet Tahoe guides and Silverado guides.
If your Suburban stores a fault code with the warning light, decode it on autodtcs.com.
Independent guide — not affiliated with Chevrolet. Always follow your official service manual and safety precautions. Read our full disclaimer.