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Changing Your Own Car Battery Before You're Stuck with a Dead Car

by Vicky Mills

You'll get a little bit of warning that your car battery has reached the end of it's life. If you don't heed the warning, you may end up with a car full of groceries in the parking lot that won't start. Here is how to tell when your battery is nearly exhausted and how to replace it yourself.

The Warning Signs

Your battery provides your car with electricity when the engine isn't running, so look out for these signs of an approaching dead battery:

  • the engine turns over slowly when you first try to start it
  • the lights dim when you turn the engine off
  • the radio loses its programming and the clock is off

When you see these signs, you may only have a couple of days to replace the battery before it's gone completely.

What You'll Need to Replace the Battery

  • socket set
  • channel lock pliers
  • flat-blade screwdriver
  • replacement battery - have the auto parts store give you the right battery for your car

Replacing the Car Battery

  1. Turn the car off.
  2. Find the battery under the engine hood, usually to the front and side of the engine compartment.
  3. Remove the negative (black) battery clamp and push it out of the way so you can get the battery out.
  4. Remove the positive (red) battery clamp and move it out of the way.
  5. Remove the strap holding the battery down in the engine compartment.
  6. Notice how the battery is positioned in the engine so you can place the new battery the same way.
  7. With both hands, lift the battery straight up and out of the engine compartment. Place it on the ground out of your way.
  8. Carefully lift the new battery and set it in the engine compartment.
  9. Secure the strap that holds the battery in place.
  10. Attach the positive (red) battery clamp onto the positive battery terminal.
  11. Attach the negative (black) battery clamp onto the negative battery terminal.

Problems You May Encounter

If you have any of the following issues, you'll need to take your car to the automotive repair shop and have them replace the battery for you.

  • The battery is located somewhere that makes it difficult to get to without having the car up on a rack.
  • The battery clamps are corroded and won't come off of the terminal posts.

The auto shop may have to replace the battery cables and clamps along with the battery. But you'll get years of service from these new parts and may never have to replace them again.

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