How To Change Your Vehicle Battery: A Guide
Changing your vehicle’s battery can be a daunting task to think about. Rather you are not sure how to do it or you might need a little confidence boost, this week we are going to do both! So, get your notepad, your pen, and take some notes because we are here to tell you how to change your battery from the comfort of your own driveway with ease!
Step 1:
With the engine off and cooled, pop open the hood and locate the battery. Detach the negative (black) cable from its terminal on the battery. To loosen the nuts, use a pair of battery pliers or a battery wrench. After you have loosened the nuts, twist and pull up on the cable to free it from the battery. Repeat with the positive (red) cable. Make sure both cables are removed and pulled away from the battery.
Step 2:
To remove the battery hold-down clamp, use either a wrench or a socket and a ratchet. In some cases, you will not need a tool to free the battery. Once the clamp is undone, remove the battery from the holding tray. Batteries tend to be heavy, use both hands or ask for help if needed.
Step 3:
Cleaning your battery holding tray is an important part of replacing your battery. Using either a battery cleaning solution or a mixture of baking soda and water, thoroughly clean any corrosion off the tray, cables, holding clamp, and nuts/ bolts. A wire brush can be beneficial to you in cleaning off the corrosion. Let the parts dry completely and place your new battery back into the tray.
Step 4:
Now that your new battery is in the tray, secure it with the hold-down clamp once more and spray both terminal ends with an anti-corrosive solution. Attach the positive (red) cable to the terminal and tighten the nut. Repeat with the negative (black) cable. Ensure all your cable connections are properly tightened and you’re good to go! You have successfully changed your battery!
If you have additional questions, feel free to stop by or give us a call and we would be more than happy to assist you in any way we can! If you’re still no confident changing the battery yourself, schedule an appointment with us today and let our trained technicians take care of it for you!
