How to Remove Car Battery: A Guide
Picture being late to work in the morning, and your car suddenly refuses to start. The engine does not come to life no matter how you turn that key. You might have a dead car battery and need to replace it.Having a dead automotive battery can kill anyone’s mood in an instant because you need to drop everything to fix this problem. Knowing how to remove a car battery can help you save some money while boosting your confidence.If you have never disconnected and removed car batteries before, this is the only guide you need. All you need are simple tools to ensure that this operation goes smoothly.
How to Remove a Car Battery
The first step of this task is locating your car battery. Most cars should have batteries under the hood, while others have them in the trunk.If you are unsure where your automotive battery is, you should consult the owner’s manual given to you when you bought the car. The manual should explain where the safety catch is if you need to pop the hood.
Locate Car Battery Terminals
Once you have identified where your battery is and are standing above it, the next step is to locate your positive and negative terminals. This is the most crucial step in the entire process because it can be dangerous to mix these up.The positive terminal on your battery should have a plus sign, while the negative terminal will be marked with a minus sign. Depending on the kind of battery you have, you may also see some plastic caps covering these terminals.You will need to first remove those caps to access your auto battery cables. These will be the wires that connect your battery to the rest of the car. When you figure out exactly where the terminals are, you will need to get a pair of clamps to help remove your car battery.Always use tools for safety and never attempt to touch anything directly if you are unsure of what you are doing and have never changed an automotive battery before. Since this is one of the most important steps, you should call an expert for help to avoid shocking yourself by accident.
Find Correct Wrench
It is essential to find the proper wrench to get the job done. If you do not have a good wrench, you can always borrow one from family members or friends.You must obtain the correct one because you may have a scenario with 10-millimeter bolts that can be removed with a 10-millimeter wrench with an open end.This will help disconnect those cables, or you can also try getting your hands on a socket-wrench set. This will include the same-size socket that will make disconnecting car batteries a whole lot easier.
Unbolt Cables
This is one of the harder steps in the process, and you need to be extremely careful when handling cables. Always ensure that your car’s ignition is switched off. You should also consider wearing goggles or some sort of eye protection when you work with batteries under your car’s hood.The first thing you must do is unbolt your negative battery cable by lifting it free to disconnect it. At times, you may need to wiggle your hand around a little to tug or pull the cable.When you are doing this, use the wrench carefully and never let it touch both the positive and negative terminals simultaneously.Although your battery is most likely dead and harmless, there may still be some leftover or residual electric current that can create a dangerous spark.It is also best not to short your auto battery this way if you want to protect your car’s engine control and electrical systems. Once you have successfully unbolted the negative cable, you must push it far away from you before removing the positive cable using the same steps.Since car batteries are typically secured with a clamp that locks them in place on a tray, you will need to dislodge this cable to remove the battery from your car.The best thing to do is to grab a socket wrench with an extension if possible. Then you need to use that on the bolts that hold your auto battery.This should not be too challenging. Upon completing this step, you should be able to remove your car battery with ease.
Car Battery Maintenance Tips
Even the best car battery cannot prevent succumbing to weather and age. However, you can prolong its lifespan by conducting regular car battery maintenance. You can do this on your own, but it is always advised to hire an expert to look under the hood for you.Remember to keep your battery charged unless you want it to give way, causing you to get stuck in a parking lot. Charging your battery is necessary to keep the internal chemical balance in good shape while reducing battery wear.You should also keep your electrolyte levels topped up. If you have a low-maintenance battery, you must check fluid levels as often as possible. Then you should refit battery heat shields that protect it from swelling and overheating.When you park the car and turn off the ignition, double-check that you have not forgotten to turn the lights off. If you have some time, you should also make an effort to clean around your battery terminals, especially if there is any fluid or gunk build-up on the outside.
Always Check Battery Health
Car batteries always seem okay when you look at them from the outside, but there could be all sorts of mechanical problems. Now that you know how to remove a car battery, you should keep an eye for cracks, bulging, and leaks to see if you need a new one installed.Always conduct regular battery maintenance to keep your car healthy. Contact us today, and we can provide the best car battery in a jiffy.