How To Change Out A Car Battery

The small amount of money you relieve past doing information technology yourself only applies if y'all don't ruin your vehicle's electrical system in the process! These days, it'southward easy enough to allow the pros handle information technology. You could potentially void your warranty if you attempted to change the battery yourself. To bank check which items are covered and which are not read your warranty conditions.

Depending on how much you drive, your automobile'southward battery should last between one and four years.

Because batteries are heavy, highly corrosive and potentially flammable, many drivers forego the DIY approach and get a professional to replace their dead battery.

If you lot're on the road when your car battery dies, you lot'll likely require roadside assistance. Budget Direct's roadside contractors can either jump-start your vehicle or replace its battery at your cost.

But if the battery goes flat at your home or has passed its 'utilize-by date' and you want to supervene upon it yourself, here are some tips:

You'll demand an adjustable wrench, disposable rubber gloves, clean lint-complimentary rags, a picayune baking soda and h2o, a battery brush or post-cleaning tool and some safety goggles.

Rubber first

You'll need an adaptable wrench, dispensable rubber gloves, clean lint-gratis rags, a little baking soda and water, a battery brush or postal service-cleaning tool and some rubber goggles.

Turn off your engine and put the vehicle in Park. Gear up the parking brake. Spread a towel across your fender to protect the paint from whatever corrosive acrid. Always read your car manual first.

Steps to irresolute a car battery

Normal procedure for changing a battery is as follows:

Step 1. Remove cables from battery terminals

For vehicles with a negative ground, loosen the nut and bolt that holds the battery cablevision clamp to the negative final (this will be labelled with a minus sign or 'NEG'). If your car has a positive basis, y'all would loosen the positive cablevision commencement (your manual will tell you which your car has and the right order for removing battery cables).

Footstep 2. Remove the screws or fasteners holding the bombardment in place; then Remove the Bombardment

Remember where you put the battery screws and don't allow them ringlet nether the auto. Clothing gloves while advisedly lifting out the battery.

Step 3. Audit the tray the onetime battery was resting on

If the tray underneath is rusty or shows any corrosive deposits, dissolve a little baking soda in some h2o and use this solution to clean the tray. Don't practise this without putting gloves on first. This is also the time to requite your battery terminals a clean.

Step 4. Position your new car battery on the tray

Double-check that it'south facing the same direction as its predecessor and is seated firmly.

Step 5. Replace the screws/fasteners to the new battery to secure it in identify

The bombardment should at present be complimentary of any possible 'wiggle'.

Step 6. Reconnect your bombardment cables in the reverse guild in which you took them off

(E.g. in a negative basis car the positive cablevision is reconnected first). Make sure all reconnected clamps are grabbing the posts in a solid grip.

Stride seven. Dispose of your old bombardment properly

Considering batteries are toxic and corrosive they must be disposed of legally and responsibly. Special recycling centres will have former batteries and charge y'all a nominal corporeality to dispose of them for you. Old car batteries do Not become in your rubbish or recycling bin.

Important points to consider

Don't always automatically assume that your vehicle problem is due to a dud bombardment. Your underlying problem may be something else: a faulty alternator or starter motor, for case. A professional person diagnostic test tin can sort out the true cause of the issue.

Today's cars are more technologically complex than e'er earlier and all the modern on-lath computers and electrics are susceptible to shorting out.

One of the most important steps that professionals take when replacing your battery is to ensure a second power source is available so you lot don't lose figurer settings and the security code you need to operate the radio.

Your radio security code may be written down somewhere in your motorcar manual but if y'all have no record of it, you'll ordinarily have to contact your car dealer to get the code again and so you tin can use the radio. Some dealers will accuse a fee for this.

Roadside assistance

Roadside aid is provided by insurers like Upkeep Direct.

This help typically includes a battery replacement service (members cover the toll of the new battery). So, you could theoretically go decades without having to change your own car battery.

With Upkeep Straight, you can make unlimited callouts^§ anywhere in Commonwealth of australia 24/7 for a range of faults, including a dead car bombardment.