A defective car battery is one of the most frequent causes of breakdowns in German road traffic. If this fails, the vehicle can no longer be started. Therefore, it is important that you change your car battery regularly to keep your motor vehicle intact.
Our battery replacement guide shows you how to Changing your car battery yourself can and What to look for when buying a new battery. Besides the Guide we present you a practical How-to-Autobetterie-wechseln-Video ready. You will also find Step-by-step guide with all important points summarized.
Changing the battery on your car is one of the tasks that vehicle owners can usually do themselves. However, there are a few aspects to consider here to ensure that the replacement goes smoothly:
When to change the car battery?
If the vehicle no longer starts, this is usually related to a defective car battery. If it is unusable, it must be changed. Because a repair is not possible.
What can cause the battery to discharge quickly?
Cold winter days are one of the most common causes of a low state of charge. In cold and frosty conditions, the battery needs higher currents to start the vehicle. The more time it takes to start the engine, the lower the battery’s charging capacity will be.
Not using the motor vehicle for a long time also ensures that the car battery discharges comparatively quickly. Because some electrical devices in the vehicle are constantly under voltage and thus permanently consume energy from the car battery. Short trips, seat heaters and incorrectly set voltage regulators can also affect the performance of the battery.
Often the battery can be fully recharged with the help of a good charger. With a little knowledge, you can even succeed in charging your car battery without removing it. However, if the car battery is already older, it may be worthwhile to replace it in time due to its limited lifetime.
Charging the car battery
Why the battery should be changed regularly
The battery should not be changed only when there is a noticeable defect. Instead, it is recommended to replace the component about every five to seven years to avoid a dead car battery. If you do not know how long it has been since the last battery change, it is a good idea to check the performance of the battery. For this, you can use a conventional multimeter, which can display the capacity of the battery.
Other signs that you need to change your car battery
The following situations are also signs that you should change your car battery:
- If your vehicle does not start on the first or second try in the winter, the battery performance could be compromised.
- If your headlights light up only dimly, this is often related to a reduced capacity of the battery.
What to consider when buying a new battery?
Before you can change your battery, of course you need a fresh car battery. When buying it is necessary to take into account a few things:
- First, you should note that electric cars require traction batteries, while conventional vehicles have starter batteries. In addition, the technical data of the element must be checked.
- Finally, you should know the dimensions of your current battery in order to find a suitable new one. Otherwise, it can not be properly fixed or is too large for the holder. So measure the height, length and width and go by it when buying the new battery. In addition, the capacity, which is given in ampere-hours (Ah), must be taken into account. This information will give you the opportunity to find the right model for your battery replacement in the trade.
Changing a car battery: a guide
You have noticed that your car battery no longer has the required capacity? In any case, you always have the option of having an expert in the workshop change the battery in the car. This way you can be sure that it is used professionally. However, the change is one of the tasks that most motorists perform themselves at home. To help you change your car battery correctly, we have put together all the important steps in the following guide.
What tools are needed?
Special tools are not usually required for this task. What is necessary, however, is a wrench or screwdriver and a pair of pliers. To remove the old car battery, you can alternatively use a ratchet.
Tip: Pole grease or pole spray Pole spray and pole grease is often used as corrosion protection. It should ensure that any leaking acid is neutralized to prevent oxidation of the contacts.
Tools needed to change the car battery
How to prepare for the replacement of the car battery?
In order not to endanger yourself or others and not to damage your vehicle, you should ensure a safe working environment at the beginning. Meaning:
- Park on a non-traffic, free and level area.
- Keep a large distance from open flames.
- Do not smoke near your vehicle.
- Put on work clothes, gloves as well as safety glasses.
Also take into account that when you replace the car battery, the power in the vehicle is interrupted. Devices such as a navigation system or a radio often require you to enter a PIN code when starting up a new one, so keep it handy.
Finally, you should prepare the vehicle for replacement:
- Turn off all electrical components in the car.
- Switch off the engine.
- Open and lock the hood.
- Look for the car battery. In many cars, this is covered with a plastic cover.
- Remove the cover.
Now you can replace the car battery.
How to change a car battery?
There is an audio battery disconnect sequence that must be followed at all costs. Otherwise, short circuits or sparks can damage the engine. For this reason, we have compiled a car battery replacement guide below to help you through the process:
1. Step: Remove the old battery
You can recognize the car battery by its box shape and the two poles, to each of which a cable is connected. On newer batteries, the terminals are often colored red and blue or red and black – the positive terminal is red in this case. One of the most common questions when changing a car battery is: first plus or minus?
Important: when you disconnect the car battery Always disconnect the negative terminal first! Otherwise, it can lead to sparking or even short circuit. So you proceed as follows:
- Unscrew the nut from the negative terminal and disconnect the black connecting cable.
- Loosen the nut from the positive terminal to be able to remove the red cable here.
- Unscrew the screws of the bracket system.
- Once the car battery is now exposed, you can take it out.
Caution: A car battery for the passenger car weighs between ten and 30 kilograms. Here’s what you should definitely keep in mind when replacing your battery.
2. Step: Insert the new battery
After removing the old battery, insert the new battery into the appropriate battery compartment. Then you should fix the battery using the bracket system and tighten the bracket screws. Now you can connect the new car battery.
3. Step: Connect the battery
To connect the new car battery, be sure to proceed in reverse order.
- So you first attach the red cable to the positive pole and tighten the nut.
- Then attach the black cable to the negative terminal and tighten the nut and bolt here as well. Note: If you want to use terminal grease or terminal spray, now is the time to do so!
- Finally, you can replace the battery cover, close the hood and start your car. You may also have to enter the respective PIN codes after starting your electrical devices.
Tip: Put on the pole caps! It makes sense to put pole caps on the battery poles. This way they can be safely covered and protected from short circuits.
4. Step: Dispose of the old battery
Be sure to dispose of the old battery properly. Under no circumstances should the car component be disposed of in household waste. Usually you can take the car battery to a recycling center. But also garages and stores for car accessories often accept old car batteries. There may be a small charge for this.
Dispose of old car battery properly
Changing a car battery: What to watch out for?
If you would like to change your car battery yourself with the help of our instructions, you will find additional tips below to make it easier for you:
- The car battery was not always installed under the hood. With some vehicles it can be also in the trunk.
- Some larger vehicles may have several car batteries.
- A holding system for the car battery is useful. This is how you make sure that the accumulator cannot slip or fall out.
- If the battery terminals are corroded, they should be cleaned before replacing the battery. You can use a brush or a small wire brush for this purpose.
- While changing the car battery, always wear gloves.
This will protect your hands from possible leakage of harmful acids.