Installing a New Car Battery
Installing your new battery is a quick and easy task that will only take a few minutes of your time. You will need to be able to lift the battery which usually weighs about 35 pounds into your car where it goes. Installing your battery yourself will save you time and money by not having to drive to a mechanic and pay for their services.
- Make sure that your engine is off.
- Open the hood of your car and latch your hood open with the provided hood latch. This will hold the hood open for you while installing your new battery.
- Locate your car battery; it will be a rectangular object with two posts sticking out of it; one is black and one is red. You will see cables running from these posts.
- Loosen the clamp that is holding down the negative battery cable to your old battery using a wrench. You may need to use a wire brush to remove corrosion prior to loosening the clamp.
- Remove the negative battery cable and set it somewhere safe and secure.
- Locate and remove the positive battery cable and loosen with a wrench. If it is corroded you will once again need to clean it with a wire brush prior to loosening the clamp.
- Lift the old battery that is now freed from the cables up and out of your car and set aside.
- Clean the battery casing and battery cable ends thoroughly with a wire brush before installing your new battery.
- Place the new battery gently into the battery casing and reattach the cables using a wrench and the clamps that are attached to the battery cables. You should attach the positive cable first, followed by the negative cable. Remember the positive cable is color coded with red and the negative cable will be color coded with black.
- Ensure that your battery cables are well attached and all connections are free from debris.
- Start your engine to ensure that you have power to your car and that it is getting proper connection.
- Close your hood, and your job is done. Dispose of your old battery per manufacturer's recommended method of disposal.