# How to Safely Remove & Then Re-install a Car Battery in Your Vehicle



## ibrahim07 (Aug 12, 2020)

in this guide, I want to show you how to safely take your car battery out of your car and then, how to put the battery back into your car once you’re done working on it.

This guide is broken down into five sections:

The simple tools you need to change your battery
Basic safety precautions
How to remove a car battery (step-by-step instructions)
How to re-install a car battery (step-by-step instructions)
Then we’ll close with FAQs about car battery removal and installation.

1. Disconnect the Negative Terminal

You should always start your battery removal procedure by disconnecting the negative battery terminal. This generally features a black cable, but might also have a negative sign on it.

Once you locate the negative terminal, use your wrench to loosen the cable from the negative terminal. Once you fully remove the cable, secure it out of the way.

2. Disconnect the Positive Terminal

Repeat the steps above with the positive terminal. The positive terminal is the one with a positive sign on it, and is normally the one with the red cable.
Once you remove the red cable from the positive terminal, make sure you secure the cable with a zip tie separate from the negative side. Also, make sure you don’t let this cable touch anything metal because it could be carrying a residual current.

3. Remove Securing Bracket

Once the battery is disconnected, you can remove the hold-down bracket that keeps the battery in place. Use your wrench to undo the fasteners. With some designs, you may require a socket to help with removal.

4. Remove the Battery

Now that the battery is free, you will be able to lift it out of the car. Car batteries can be heavy, weighing up to forty pounds, so ensure you have a good stance before trying to lift it.

How To Install a Car Battery

Once the old battery is removed, you are ready to recondition the battery and then re-install it. Or you can even install a new battery in its place.

So to re-install the reconditioned battery or to install a brand new battery, follow these steps:

1. Clean Corrosion
Start by using a baking soda and water mixture to clean the battery tray if there is any leftover corrosion. We also recommend cleaning off the hold-down clamp and battery cable connectors in this step.

2. Put The Battery In Place & Secure It

Next, lift the battery and insert it into the tray. Remember to take a good stance before trying to lift the battery since they can be quite heavy.

Once the battery is back in the tray, secure it with the hold-down bracket that you removed earlier.

3. Attach Cables
Next, start by first attaching and tightening the positive battery cable.

To do this, simply slide the terminal over the post on the battery. Then, tighten the connection with your wrench.

Next, attach and tighten the negative battery cable by sliding the terminal over the post on the battery. Then, tighten this connection with your wrench as well.

When you are done with the negative battery cable, double-check the connections to ensure both are tightened completely. If they are not, you may struggle with a weak electrical connection.

Nice job! You’ve now successfully re-installed the car battery and you’re ready for the battery to start your car engine!


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## DIYOkie (Jun 27, 2013)

Do you also have a guide on how to change the batteries in a remote control?


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## surferdude2 (Nov 21, 2019)

In addition to that good advice, I always connect a 12 volt DC power source to the cables or somewhere equal so that my radio, EMC box, et al don't lose their minds. A float charger works for me but don't try using a processor controlled charger since most of them won't put out power if not connected to a battery.

I will tell you that there is one such temporary voltage supply device designed and sold for that purpose. Google it. It contains a standard 9 volt battery and plugs into the cigarette lighter (aka power outlet) to make the job much simpler. I've never used one so can't comment beyond the fact that a lot of the modern cars are shutting off the power outlets when the key is turned off, my car does that. That's sad since I keep a cell phone in the car permanently. It would go dead sometimes when I didn't use the car for a day or so. I backfed the power outlets to work around that. I can show you how to easily do that if you have the need.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

There are at least a dozen battery lifting tools / straps of differing designs. What do you recommend?






Edit: Edit:


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## surferdude2 (Nov 21, 2019)

Now if only I could change the batteries in the TPMS devices in my daughter's car I'd be a hero in her eyes. On the other hand, I can live without that. :smile:


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

> Also, make sure you don’t let this cable touch anything metal because it could be carrying a residual current.


You disconnected the negative cable. You have lifted the positive cable end off of the battery. The engine is off.

Just where/what source is this residual current supposedly coming from?


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## Porsche986S (Dec 10, 2017)

Having had one auto battery explode on me in my yute :biggrin2: let me add a little bit . When using a wrench/ratchet removing the negative cable make sure you don't make contact with the positive post/cable .

When removing the positive cable make sure the wrench/ratchet don't contact any metal chassis pieces as they are ground . You don't want to create any sparks as the gasses of a battery are highly explosive . I was standing directly over a car battery when it exploded .......... it could have killed me but it wasn't my time . Respect ANY tool that can kill .


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## surferdude2 (Nov 21, 2019)

Some of us fools lead charmed lives. The batteries of days gone by had individual lids on each cell for adding water. When jump starting a car, I heard a tiny "pop" sound. Checking around I noticed that one of the lids had the top missing.

Not being real smart, I didn't think much about that until the "pop" happened again when jumping a different car weeks later. I noticed the top of one of the filler caps were missing that time too.

Being smart like I am, I put 2 and 2 together and got <5 and figured if the manufacturer hadn't supplied those explosion protection caps, I could have lost my youthful beauty right there under my car hood.


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## 3onthetree (Dec 7, 2018)

Dude's a spammer. He copied verbatim and posted a ton of How-To's under different usernames over the last couple days, many of which got deleted by mods.

This one he took from DIYliving.com. Don't get too excited about this thread and egg him on.


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## surferdude2 (Nov 21, 2019)

surferdude2 said:


> Some of us fools lead charmed lives. The batteries of days gone by had individual lids on each cell for adding water. When jump starting a car, I heard a tiny "pop" sound. Checking around I noticed that one of the lids had the top missing.
> 
> Not being real smart, I didn't think much about that until the "pop" happened again when jumping a different car weeks later. I noticed the top of one of the filler caps were missing that time too.
> 
> Being smart like I am, I put 2 and 2 together and got <5 and figured if the manufacturer hadn't supplied those explosion protection caps, I could have lost my youthful beauty right there under my car hood.


Some guy blew the battery up on a car a few years back near a job site I was working at (near Katalla & Ball, Anaheim, CA) and I ran over to see if he needed help. It didn't hurt him but it blew white stuff all over the engine compartment... looked like a snow storm or maybe a pop-corn machine explosion!

That wasn't you was it @Porsche986S :biggrin2:


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

Yup... next he will probably post a thread in "Cook it yourself" for how to boil water.




3onthetree said:


> Dude's a spammer. He copied verbatim and posted a ton of How-To's under different usernames over the last couple days, many of which got deleted by mods.
> 
> This one he took from DIYliving.com. Don't get too excited about this thread and egg him on.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

Some people need help doing that...


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## Porsche986S (Dec 10, 2017)

No my explosion took place in upstate NY a looooong time ago I think it was 1975-1976 .


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

A Weldor wasn't so fortunate when removing a battery from a space where the battery needed to be slid out of it's compartment horizontally. His swamper had to lead him to a water hydrant. A shop towel placed over the negative post as soon as possible after the cable was removed would have prevented the explosion. Tuff lesson to learn that's never forgotten but his eyes recovered.


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