How to Change a Car Battery

Written by <strong>Kevin Miller</strong>
Written by Kevin Miller
Last Updated on June 15, 2021
How to Change a Car Battery

Do you wish to observe your vehicle running smoothly? It might not happen when your car battery is dead. The first step will be to call the expert mechanic. But, if you are far away from a locality or a car repairing center, you might get a panic attack.

The first activity that you should do is make sure your emergency kit is ready and stocked. Next, check under the hood of your vehicle for signs of corrosion or leaks near the battery terminals. If this is not an issue, then it’s time to get started on changing out the old battery with a new one! Car batteries go through a lot of wear and tears.

There are many things to consider when changing a car battery, such as: what type of tools do I need? How long should I let my engine run before disconnecting the old battery? What is this blue goo stuff, and why is it everywhere (aka what does anti-corrosion paste do)? How to remove car batteries? How to replace car batteries? We’ll answer all these questions for you in our blog post so that next time your starter won’t engage or your headlights dim; you’ll be prepared. After reading this guide if you think you need a new battery, you can learn how to recondition a car battery at home before buying a new one.

Step by step guide on how to change a car battery

Follow these step-by-step instructions so that you don’t waste any time:

Step One: Clean the Battery Clamps With a Wire made Brush

In order to avoid corrosion, clean both clamps with a wire brush. If you have access to an impact wrench or breaker bar (handy for removing a car battery’s stubborn bolts), use it on the positive clamp and remove the battery hold-down brackets that are present, so they don’t get in your way when installing the new battery. When using either of these methods, place protective rubber gloves on before touching anything metal! Use baking soda to clean the car battery.

Step Two: Disconnect Battery Cables

There should be two cables connected from each terminal post — one to the ground and one to power. It’s important that these connections are removed first because if there is no connection, you can work on the dead battery with ease. You also get the owner’s manual for help. It would help if you secured the battery while disconnecting car cables. Sometimes you also may need to, lift the battery. For this, you must wear gloves.

Step Three: Remove Battery

When disconnecting the positive and negative cable in step two, also note that one end will have a red terminal sign on it while the other has a black negative terminal sign on it–that’s important, so we know which battery wire goes where when installing new batteries. Now, all we need to do is remove the old battery by either unscrewing (if using a wrench to loosen the battery) or pulling away with our hands. In other words, you must loosen the nut and get hold of the cable first. You must pay a look at the battery terminals also.

Step Four: Install New Battery 

The new battery will come with a red positive terminal sign on it, so we need to make sure that the wires from our old battery go into their corresponding terminals. But, before that, you must find a battery of good quality. Install the battery only when you have knowledge about connectors. If not, just contact the experts; they can connect and tighten the battery. You can observe the socket, but that must be dealt with with a safety address. Be careful as the dead battery may also have leakage of acid. It can be dangerous for your skin.

Step Five: Connecting Cables –

Once the positive and negative cable is connected, tighten them using your wrench or pliers. Till the time they cannot be tightened anymore and then reconnect the negative cable back onto its original spot under where you disconnected it in step two. Then take your fingers–the ones without grease still on them–and press down firmly for three seconds straight (this helps activate the connection) before moving on to reinstallation of other parts of the car like an air filter or radiator cap. Now insert the new battery inside the compartment.

How to remove a car battery

Before proceeding with the car battery replacement activity, you must be aware of how to remove the battery. Let us find out the process as under:

  • Make sure the car is off and key out of the ignition. Secure the position of the battery and proceed with the wrench to loosen with the help of tools.
  • Locate a metal strap that goes between battery and frame on the side of the vehicle (typically near the driver’s side door). You can also call the experts with tools.
  • Using a wrench, loosen two bolts holding the bracket to hold the old battery in place. Then use your hands to pull upwards to remove the battery that has become old from the compartment. If you are unsure how it should be oriented, look for the “plus” sign (+) on the positive cable terminal or the “+” label next to the positive terminal marked with a red dot marker. (Hint: don’t mix batteries!)

Newer cars may also have a connector at the top of the battery, which will need to be disconnected before removing a car battery by unplugging wire clamps using pliers.

How to disconnect car battery

  • Step 1
    The first thing you need to do is disconnect the negative terminal of the car battery. You can do it by loosening and removing the bolt, then pulling it off with a wire brush if needed.
  • Step 2
    Next, place a piece of cardboard or any other insulator between your body and hands to avoid contact with the ground, which will cause dangerous current flow through your body should there be an accidental connection.
  • Step 3
    Now unscrew the positive terminal on top of the battery after placing an insulator there as well; take note that this particular end is usually marked “Positive”. Make sure not to touch any metal while connecting cables together because doing so may create sparks leading to injury.
  • Step 4
    Afterward, connect one cable from each end onto either post (negative or positive cable) on the same battery. Take a piece of wire to touch both posts simultaneously and remove your hand as soon as they flash or click, indicating a connection between them. This will allow current flow through, causing each end of the new battery pack to become charged with power.

How long does it take to change a car battery?

The answer is variable. The time will depend on the make and model of your vehicle, how complicated or difficult the replacement procedure is for that particular vehicle, and how much help you have from others. Some people can do this job themselves in about 20 minutes with some assistance. At the same time, others may get it from experts who know battery acid. There are much more to know about the old car battery.

Sometimes. The mechanic needs to remove the negative cable. Fortunately, there are plenty of videos online which show people just like us changing their own batteries in under 30 seconds.

How to change a car battery without losing settings?

  • Start by opening the hood of your car.

    Open the hood and locate the cables coming out from beneath it. Locate an empty space to place your old battery, then remove all cells in this area with a screwdriver or wrench.
  • Next, find which cable is connected to each end on the terminals.

    This can be both a positive pole and a negative pole. The positive terminal normally has a red cover on top that needs to be removed with pliers if there’s any corrosion present; whereas, the negative terminal typically needs its insulation strip-cut back so you can see what’s going on inside.
  • Remove both cables

    Remove it from their respective ends at once using wire strippers for extra safety when doing—next, wrench to loosen the cable of the car batteries. Replacing the car battery is quite tricky. You can contact the mechanics at a local garage/ shop.

How much does it cost to change a car battery?

Are you wondering about ‘how much does a car battery cost’? The average cost to place the new battery is about $75 and can vary depending on the type of vehicle. There are many different types of batteries on the market, ranging in size, power capacity, voltage levels. You should know what type your vehicle needs before you buy a new battery to be compatible with your system. In addition, some vehicles require a unique security key to activate it, which will also cost extra money for the installation. 

Conclusion

The maintenance of the automobile is a must for any car you buy. Even if you have a garage facility, the car engine is susceptible. The make, model, and brand are secondary factors. The car batteries are something you might have to replace after a certain period. Other auto parts also need maintenance. You can search for the store/shop that sells the new car battery.

 

CTA-Ebook
Battery Restoration Trick

Little Known Way To Bring Nearly ANY Dead Battery Back To Life again..​