Car batteries have an uncanny ability to die at the most inconvenient times. If it’s pouring down rain on a cold night when you’re on your way to an important event, the chances of your car battery going kaput hover near the 100 percent mark. This is why modern humans invented roadside assistance.
If you have a car in your driveway with a battery that could stand to be replaced, follow the steps outlined here. You’ll be up and running in no time at all, as it can be an easy automotive repair.
Tools Needed to Change a Car Battery
You want to fix your car battery yourself, but don’t jump the gun just yet. Get the proper tools together before going under your car’s hood.
If you’ve already created the baking soda and water solution you need to clean your terminals, keep it handy. You’ll want to give the terminal cables a more thorough cleaning. If not, then go ahead and whip up a batch and drop a clean paintbrush into it for later.
Preparing Your Car for a Battery Change
First and foremost in preparing your car for a battery change is ensuring that the battery isn’t receiving any power from your engine. You may have found that your battery needs replacing after it failed to turn over, so your keys may still be in the ignition. If so, remove them. Without the keys, your car’s electrical system shouldn’t be active, which will reduce the chance of a spark or shock while you’re changing your battery.
If you’ve already brushed on the baking soda and water solution to the terminals, you’re ahead of the game. If not, go ahead and clean the terminals as fully as possible. Removing the sulfate deposits should make it easier to unscrew the nuts from the bolts on the cable ends and from the posts. Gently knock the posts and cables with your hammer to break up the deposit. Then brush on the baking soda solution and finally wipe it away with a rag.
Removing Old Car Batteries
Finally, we get to the good part: removing the old battery. Remember that this is the most dangerous stage in the replacement process. Cracks and corrosion in the old battery can allow acid to leak out onto your skin, which can be unpleasant to say the least. While the car’s ignition is off, the battery can still produce an electrical charge (and even an explosion) while the terminals are connected. In other words, be very careful while removing the battery.
To start, loosen the nut from the bolt that holds the terminal cable to the negative post on the battery. Use your wrench or pliers to turn the nut in a counterclockwise direction. Hold the bolt head in place using another pair of pliers or wrench. Once loose, carefully slide the end clamp from the post. When you do, be sure you have already placed your tools on the ground or on your Styrofoam tray to prevent sparking an electrical charge.
Attaching New Car Batteries
Congratulations, you’ve reached the home stretch. Just a couple more steps and your car should purr like a kitten once more on the first turn of the ignition.
Lift the new battery and place it into its seat under the hood. By now, you’ve likely concluded that new batteries are much heavier than old batteries; be careful when lifting.
Roadside Assistance Jacksonville FL
Contact us today and learn more about the roadside assistance services we offer. Our trained and friendly team is always happy and ready to answer any questions you may have. Take the worry out of tire changes or jump starts or other roadside issues, and give us a call today, so you’re prepared for the worst.
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