If you know your car battery is about to die, it's best to replace it as soon as possible. You don’t want to be stranded on the side of the road with no power. Fortunately, disconnecting and replacing your car battery is a simple job. Here's how to do it safely and effectively with expert advice.

MORE: Complete Guide to Battery Pack Chargers: Everything You Need to Know About Battery Pack Chargers

https://www.bestbatterypro.com/complete-guide-to-battery-pack-chargers/

Road & Track spoke with McLaren Philadelphia senior technician Kevin Hines to learn the proper way to disconnect and replace your car's battery. Hines is the only factory-certified McLaren F1 technician in North America, which means his day job is building $20 million worth of exotic vehicles. If anyone knows about car batteries, it's him.

https://www.bestbatterypro.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ni-mh-battery-material.jpg

Before reading any further, we recommend consulting your car's owner's manual for exact instructions on how to replace your car's battery. Manufacturer's recommendations may differ from the instructions below.

Get the right parts

"Make sure you have the right battery for your car," Hines said. "Battery batteries come in different physical and electrical sizes."

Your car is designed to run on a specific type of battery, so it's important to buy the right type so everything works properly. Using a battery with the wrong voltage or size can cause a variety of electrical problems, some of which may appear long after the installation process is completed.

MORE: Solution To Mileage Anxiety of Electric Car: Charging or Battery Swapping, Who Is Better

https://www.bestbatterypro.com/solution-to-mileage-anxiety-of-electric-car/

Fortunately, most types of car batteries can be found at your local auto parts store. If you're not sure which type of battery is right for your car, check your owner's manual or just read what's printed on your current battery to get an idea of what to look for.

https://www.bestbatterypro.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Top-10-Pouch-Battery-Manufacturers-in-the-World.jpg

Disconnect old battery

As long as your car battery is in an easily accessible location, such as the engine bay or trunk, the process of removing it is fairly painless.

"Disconnect the negative terminal first, then the positive terminal," Hines tells us. He said the reason they should be followed in this order is to reduce the risk of electrocution. “Assuming you have the battery connected to the vehicle and the battery still has voltage, you put a wrench or a ratchet on the positive terminal and touch the body. Then you can weld,” he said with a laugh.

MORE: 12V 100Ah Lithium ion Battery Pack LiFePO4 Rechargeable Energy Storage System BMS Battery Pack

https://www.bestbatterypro.com/product/12v-100ah-lithium-battery-pack-lifepo4-rechargeable/

Once you have successfully disconnected the battery from both terminals and moved the connection point to a location where it will not accidentally reconnect, you can disconnect all ties and remove the battery from the tray. Some batteries may also have a small vent tube attached to the frame; simply remove this before removing the battery from the car.

https://www.bestbatterypro.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/challenges-of-carbon-emission-information-disclosure.jpg

Place new battery

After removing the old battery, place it next to the new battery and compare the dimensions and labels. This will tell you whether you purchased the correct battery (assuming you had the correct battery in your car to begin with). Even if you buy a battery with the correct specifications, it still may not fit into your car's battery tray area if it's a different size.

MORE: 12V 50Ah Lithium ion Battery Pack Deep Cycle Golf Cart LiFePO4 Battery Pack

https://www.bestbatterypro.com/product/12v-50ah-lithium-battery-pack-golf-cart-lifepo4/

Now that you've made sure the battery you purchased is suitable for your car, you can place it in the battery tray. Make sure not to accidentally touch any terminals connected to the car; the last thing you want is sparks. Use tape to block it if necessary. Once the battery is in place, use any tie-downs to secure it securely.

https://www.bestbatterypro.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/carbon-dioxide-emissions-climb-again.jpg

Once the battery is secured to the car, the reconnection process can begin. Hines recommends connecting the batteries to the car in the reverse order of disconnecting the previous battery. So first the positive terminal and then the negative terminal. After tightening all relevant screws, congratulations! You are done.

Other tips

Check battery health? "Always make sure the connections are clean," Hines says. "Dirty connections are resistance, and resistance becomes a load on the circuit."

Hines explained that if corrosion occurs on either terminal, it acts like any other energy consumer in the car's circuit, such as a light bulb or motor. But since corrosion does not create light or create motion, it creates heat. "The hotter the connection, the more resistance it causes," he said. "It's a double whammy that creates a downward spiral."

MORE: 12V 35Ah Lithium ion Battery Pack Home Storage Power Lifepo4 Battery Pack Fast Shipping

https://www.bestbatterypro.com/product/12v-35ah-lithium-battery-pack-home-storage-lifepo4/

In some cases, this type of corrosion problem only occurs under certain conditions. "If you have a bad internet connection, you can get things working fine when everything is cold," Hines said. "But you can drive for half an hour and then you're going to have a hard time showing up. . When the car cools down, these problems go away. "So you're going to be chasing it forever because you don't want to be working on a hot car. "

https://www.bestbatterypro.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/geben-portable-power-station-lithium-ion-battery.png

Disconnect and reconnect car battery

When doing any electrical work on a car, you usually need to disconnect the battery first. This short guide will explain the best way to do this. Disclaimer: Be sure to refer to the manufacturer's manual for instructions on how to find and disconnect the battery, as every vehicle is different. Rubber gloves help avoid grease, oil, or sparks during this exercise. If you have questions about this procedure, feel free to contact your auto mechanic for help.