Whether you have had to pull out the battery charger for car batteries one too many times or want to work on your vehicle safely, knowing how to remove the battery is important. This is a relatively simple operation that is completely safe if you know what you are doing.
However, poking around blindly can be potentially dangerous. As a measure of safety, be sure to wear a pair of nitrile or latex gloves which can be found at Unigloves, the uks leading disposable safety gloves manufacturer, so that you don’t end up burning your hand.
Once you have the necessary gear, read on to find out how you can go about carrying out the task.
How Do I Remove My Battery Out of My Car?
The basic process of removing a car battery is quite simple. You need to do the following steps:
- Locate the battery
- Unbolt the cables
- Remove the battery tie-down
- Lift the battery out
- Store the battery somewhere safe
In some vehicles, the most difficult part of this process is locating the battery. Typically, it is fairly obviously placed in the engine compartment. However, not all vehicles are designed this way. Some had the battery in the trunk or behind a special panel. Check your owner’s manual to help locate the battery.
Removing the battery tie-down may be as simple as loosing a screw by hand. In some vehicles, you may need a screwdriver or a socket wrench.
Finally, you will need to place the battery somewhere safe, even if you intend to put it back promptly. Try to find somewhere dry and cool. Additionally, it is best to avoid placing it directly on concrete (modern batteries are better designed to avoid leaks, but it is better to be safe than sorry, even with the best car batteries).
How To Disconnect Your Car Battery
If you are new to removing batteries from cars, you may be nervous about disconnecting the battery. While it is still connected, there is always a risk of electric shock.
The most important aspect of this is that you should never touch both the negative and positive terminals at the same time. Similarly, be careful that none of your tools accidentally touch both. Even dead batteries can hold dangerous charges.
Always disconnect the negative cable first. Then, carefully secure it away from the battery terminal. You don’t want it to suddenly flip back and touch the battery, potentially creating a circuit.
Once the negative cable is disconnected, the whole system becomes a little safer (though that is no reason to be reckless). You can remove the positive cable and take out the battery.
You will usually need a 10-millimeter wrench to disconnect the cables. Additionally, you should wear eye protection. If you are at all concerned about leaks or want to carefully inspect the battery, also wear protective gloves.
Purchase a New Battery and Fix Your Vehicle
If you need to replace a battery, you should purchase a new one before you remove the old one. The easiest way to find the right battery for your vehicle is to use a VIN lookup free tool to find parts that will work on your vehicle. You can find tools like this on websites such as AutoZone. Order your new battery and use the above information to safely and properly remove and replace the old battery.
