How to Change a Car Battery
Wondering how to change your car battery? Here's a step by step guide from Battery Business. First a few general tips.
A few general tips from Battery Business
1. Keep power to the battery cables
When you are changing car battery try to keep 12v power to battery cables when the battery is removed. You can do this with a second battery and some jump leads or a small 12v supply into cigarette lighter socket.
This is very important on modern cars you or might need to go through a reset because you’ve lost your radio and other computer codes…but be careful not to "spike" the power to the computer. If you do, then you may just blow a fuse, or you may blow a computer - not nice.
2. Make sure the battery is actually dead.
Sometimes your car battery is fine and your car’s alternator is the problem because it hasn't been charging the battery, and sometimes the starter motor is failing and refusing to engage when it should.
(If you come to our Battery Business store we can will test your car battery and alternator for free. If we can get more life out of your existing battery, we will!)
3. Be ready with the right replacement battery
Make sure the new battery is the right type for your car and the right size for the space under your bonnet. If you're not sure what type of battery you need call us on 02 9970 6999 7 days. Be aware that manufacturers often change battery trays in the middle of a model year, and fitters often fit the wrong battery size. If in doubt, ask us to guide you through the battery choice.
How to change a car battery
1. Know your positive and negative
Locate positive and negative on your car battery. The positive terminal (generally red) will have a plus sign and the negative terminal (generally black) will have a minus sign.
Remove the positive cable first. Than remove the negative cable.
2. Check the battery area is clean
This is a good time to make sure the battery area is clean and free from leaves and debris. If there is any sign of acid and corrosion boiling water is a great way to clean it - but don’t douse the computer!
3. Fit the new battery
Place the new battery where you just took the old battery out, with the positive and negative terminals on the correct sides. The picture on the right made us chuckle - the battery is the wrong way round - the terminals on this car (and nearly always) should be where the bonnet is highest (the back in this case) and the positive is furthest from the wing in most cases, so this one would still be wrong when turned through 180 degrees - it is the wrong battery! Anyway, when you come to connect things up again, connect the negative cable and then the positive one. Then connect all the screws, clamps or bars that may hold the battery in place. Be careful not to "short out" the terminals with your spanner.
4. Dispose of your old battery responsibly
Dispose of your used battery at a recycling centre. We recycle several tonnes of batteries each week, so please feel free to bring us any old lead acid batteries that you don't want. We'll be happy torecycle them, evne if you didn't buy your battery from us!
Our car battery fitting service is free 7 days. Call in to our Warriewood store 7 days. Read more about our car battery fitting service
We also offer free mobile car battery replacement.