It’s always important to take good care of your vehicle, especially when it comes to the battery. If you’re not sure how to know if a car battery needs to be replaced, you might have had trouble with the car starting, not starting at all, the headlights appearing dim or even problems with the electronics.
Thankfully, knowing how to replace a car battery is a fairly simple task. You won’t even need to take your car to a mechanic to accomplish this. If you are going to attempt this yourself, make sure you follow our helpful guide below. You can also read about the best way to charge your car battery.
Before You Start - Work Safe!
While modern batteries are safer than ever, it’s important to know how to replace a car battery safely to avoid any injury. When removing a car battery, you’ll want to make sure your car is turned off and that you are working in dry and well-lit conditions. This will make it easier to see what you are doing and avoid any accidents.
You may also want to wear a set of insulated gloves and remove any metal jewellery to protect yourself when handling the battery. Be careful when removing the battery as it may be heavier than you expect. If the battery is damaged when you lift it out, make sure you keep it in a safe place before you dispose of it.
How To Replace a Car Battery With a New One
Depending on the make and model of your car, your battery may be under the bonnet or in the boot. You can find this out by consulting your owner’s manual or just having a quick look.
Removing the Old Battery
Once you have located your battery, you need to disconnect the two cables from the battery terminals. For safety, this has to be done in a specific order. First, remove the cable from the negative terminal (usually marked with a minus sign), then you can safely remove the cable from the positive terminal (usually marked with a plus sign).
Once this is complete you can move the cables out of the way, remove any connectors or clamps holding the battery in place and then take out the old battery.
Installing the New Battery
To install your new car battery, you can simply follow these steps in reverse. Place the new battery into the car and fasten it down. Next, connect the cable to the positive terminal, followed by the cable to the negative terminal.
Finally, to test out the battery, hop into the driver's seat and start your car. If you can start the car and all your electronics are working, the new battery is correctly installed. It’s also worth taking your car for a quick 20 minute drive just to add some charge into the new battery.
It’s important to remember that depending on where you live, you cannot dispose of the old battery with your household waste. It must be taken to either a local recycling centre or a garage that will do this for you.