How To Change A Car Battery

Having a battery in good working order is essential for starting your car and getting you from A to B. We’ve put together this handy 6-step guide to help you change a car battery simply and most importantly, safely.

For this task you will need the following:

• Toothbrush
• Baking soda
• Water
• Spanner or socket wrench set
• A few old rags, towels or cloths

1) Protect Yourself

First things first, ensure you’re safe to begin the task of replacing a car battery. Turn off the ignition and remove the key (if you have one that connects into the ignition lock). Make sure the key remains removed when you reconnect the battery. Wear safety goggles and gloves to protect your eyes and hands when inspecting and replacing your battery.

2) Prep the Battery

Remove any corrosion from your battery terminals and clamps to ensure not only that your existing battery can be removed easily, but also that your replacement battery will be placed in a location that is free of corrosion. To remove corrosion, we recommend using a toothbrush with some water and baking soda applied to it. Use the toothbrush to agitate and remove areas of corrosion and wipe away any excess, before allowing to dry.

3) Disconnect the Negative

Always disconnect the negative first, before the positive. Undo the battery clamp nut and remove the cable from the negative terminal.  We recommend wrapping the end of the cable in a dry rag, towel or cloth to stop it from accidentally contacting the battery once it has been disconnected.

4) Disconnect the Positive

Repeat the same process as above, this time for the positive terminal.

5) Undo the Battery Hold-Down Clamp(s)

The next step is to undo the hold-down clamp(s) securing the battery in place and lift out the battery. Sometimes, these can be found quite a distance down your battery. Remember, car batteries are often heavier than people think, so be careful when you remove it out! Once the battery is out, give the battery tray a bit of TLC using the same cleaning process as found in step 2.

6) Insert Your New Battery

Place your new replacement car battery onto the battery tray and tighten the hold-down clamp(s) and secure the positive cable and then the negative to the respective terminals.

We hope this guide has been helpful in assisting you with changing your car battery. Please ensure that you dispose of your old battery with a local recycling centre. Alternatively, you can often exchange your old car battery when you purchase a new one, often this will be part of your sales agreement.

Car Battery Replacement

Here at Charles Trent, we specialise in supplying high-quality, low-cost used car batteries with stocks available for almost any battery type, including AGM and start stop batteries. Every battery we sell comes with FREE fitting and expert disposal of your old battery. Our batteries for sale come fully charged, tested and with a FREE 12 month peace of mind warranty. Click here to find out more about our battery service.