How to Change a Car Battery

If you know how to change a car battery, you can save money by not having to take the car to the garage. Batteries have one to five year warranties on them. The date is indicated on the top of the battery. If it goes dead before the date indicated, return the battery to the place where you got it and get another one. Taking the old battery in with you will assure you get the right one.

Removing the Old Battery

If there is a bracket around the battery, it will have to be either loosened or removed. Some brackets are attached with wing nuts that can be loosened. Use the pliers to loosen them. Others are equipped with bolts that have to be removed. Use an adjustable wrench to remove them.

Use a ½ inch wrench on top mounted batteries or a 5/16 inch wrench on side mounted batteries to loosen the bolt in the terminal on the positive post of the battery.

Use a ½ inch wrench on top mounted batteries or a 5/16 inch wrench on side mounted batteries to loosen the bolt in the terminal on the negative post of the battery.

You may need to use a screwdriver under the terminals and between the bolts and the posts on the battery to loosen them from the battery posts. Remember not to force them. Loosen the bolts with the wrench more if necessary.

Remove the terminals, taking care to keep them separated to avoid sparks. Carefully lift the battery up and out of the tray.

Installing the New Battery

Clean the terminals before attaching them to the new battery. Use a battery post cleaning tool or wire brush to clean the insides of each terminal.

Set the battery on the tray. Place the bracket around it and tighten the wing nuts or the bolts on the bracket.

Attach the negative terminal to the negative post on the battery first. Tighten the bolt with the wrench and make sure the terminal fits tightly on the battery. Avoid tightening too much or you could crack the post on the battery.

Attach the positive terminal to the positive post on the battery and tighten the bolt.