Care care: How to replace a car battery

Buying and replacing your own battery is relatively simple and more economical than going to a workshop. Below is the step-by-step guide

(1)Make sure the car is parked on flat ground, engine switched off and the hand brake is on.

(2)Wear a pair of gloves if you have them. You’ll also need a pair of battery pliers or a battery wrench.

(3)Locate the battery. Not all batteries are located under the hood in the engine compartment. For example, the battery in a Volkswagen Touareg is located under the driver’s seat.

(3) Determine the positive (red) and negative (black) poles.

(4) For safety reason, detach the negative cable (black) first. Why? If you remove the positive first using a wench, you may create a short circuit if it touches a metal part of the car that is grounded. This is dangerous.

(5) Remove the hold-down clamp and the plastic cover, if any. Place all nuts and bolts carefully on a piece of paper on the ground. Don’t put them on top of any engine components as they may roll down into nooks.

(6) Lift up the old battery with both hands. Be careful not to spill any acid out.

(7) Clean the cable lead-ring with a hard brush if it is coated with white oxidation. Some mechanics splash hot water on the lead-rings as a quick-fix, though this is not advisable. If you do this, make sure you allow them to dry completely.

(8) Insert the new battery on the tray or housing.

(9) First, secure and tighten the positive battery cable (red). Second, secure and tighten the negative battery cable (black).

(10) Replace the hold-down clamp and plastic cover, if any.

(11) Check that the battery is secure trying to move it back and forth.


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