Carolina Pick-N-Pull’s overview of a general DIY replacement
Here at Carolina Pick-N-Pull, there are certain auto parts that we get asked about more often than others. One of those is one of the core pieces of equipment amongst cars, the spark that helps make them all operational vehicles: the battery.
And believe it or not, the car battery isn’t that hard to change in most daily drivers! Doing this simple job yourself can help save you money you might have spent at a mechanic’s shop, not to mention the time you would need to set aside to drop the car off and wait around until the expert was finished with it. Follow these basic instructions for your everyday car battery replacements, and you’ll only have to call in a pro for the bigger projects!
Step 1: Materials
A good mechanic always gathers the tools and auto parts that he or she knows will come into play during the project. For the average car battery replacement, make sure you have these items within easy reach:
- New battery
- Open or box end wrenches or sockets
- Battery terminal protectors
- Battery carrying strap
- Battery terminal puller
- Battery post and terminal cleaning implement (a wire brush works, too)
- Battery terminal post grease
- Memory saver
- Safety glasses and gloves
- Spare rags
Step 2: Prep
As is the case with any hands-on project involving mechanics, it’s important that you take care of any and all prep before you dive in. In this case, that means reviewing the owner’s manual, then popping the hood and familiarizing yourself with the lay of the land. Make sure you can identify the old battery, as well as the positive and negative posts and their respective cables. The positive post sometimes has a red plastic cover and a red cable, but there is usually a + stamped beside it, too.
Sometimes, the battery isn’t actually under the hood. A few makes and models install them in the trunk, under floorboards, or even behind a wheel well. If this is out of your area of expertise, we recommend getting in touch with a mechanic you trust to help you finish the job.
Step 3: Removing the old car battery
Now, it’s time to pick up some tools! Start with loosening the bolt holding the negative terminal and cable in place using a wrench. You’ll want to be sure not to let anything made of metal touch the battery posts, and the wrench should steer clear of the fender or body of the car when you switch to do the same thing to the positive terminal. Once you have the bolt loosened from the negative side, use the terminal puller to remove both the post and the cable, and then switch to the positive side.
You’ll then see a clamp or retaining system holding the battery in place. Remove that, then set the parts and fasteners aside where you won’t misplace them. The battery is a bit heavy, so be careful when you lift it so that you don’t jostle it too much. The posts might be located on top – in which case you can use that battery carrying strap – or on the side. But once it’s out, you’re ready to move on to installation!
Step 4: Installing the new car battery
First and foremost, take a look at the terminals at the ends of the battery cables and gauge whether or not they’re clean. If you see a fair amount of corrosion, use the terminal cleaning implement to clear off that build-up before you put in a fresh battery. Otherwise, the connection won’t be as clear as it could be.
Next, position the battery so that the positive post matches with the positive terminal, and the negative post will match up to the negative terminal once you settle it in place. When you’re ready, insert the new car battery and secure it with the clamp or retaining system you disengaged earlier.
Take off the plastic caps on the battery posts and snap on the protectors. Then you can apply a thin layer of the post grease and connect the positive terminal to the positive post. Use a wrench to tighten the connector until there is a nice, snug fit. You’ll then do the same thing for the negative post and terminal.
Step 5: Troubleshoot, and off you go!
Your new battery shouldn’t be able to wiggle around, but if it does then tightening the clamp or retaining system should do the trick. Always try starting and driving the car for a short distance after a battery installation, and don’t wait until right before you need to be somewhere. If there was an issue with your work, you’ll want to address it when there’s time to work on it, not when you’re on your way to work!
Congrats, you just changed out your battery! Stay tuned to Carolina Pick-N-Pull’s resource center for more tips and DIY auto repairs and projects.