How to Remove a Car Battery

The battery of your vehicle is extremely important in its daily function. It provides the electrical energy necessary to ignite the spark plugs and start the vehicle, as well as keep the car running and power a variety of components while driving. Without it, you wouldn’t be able to use your windows, lock your doors or use the Apple CarPlay® function in your car.

When it’s time to replace your car battery, you also want to make sure you’re doing it correctly and safely so you don’t end up with bigger problems. Luckily, you don’t have to do it alone! We created a step-by-step tutorial on how to remove a car battery in your garage in Omaha or Beatrice. If you’re more comfortable with a professional doing it, feel free to contact our service department to make an appointment!

Preparing to Remove a Car Battery

While this may be common knowledge, we want to make sure you reiterate the essential facts. Car batteries have enough amperage to seriously injure or electrocute someone, so it’s important that you perform this task with precaution. Below are some tips you should keep in mind while removing a car battery:

• NEVER touch a car battery terminal without insulated work gloves on. It’s also good practice to wear safety goggles to protect your eyes.
• ALWAYS turn off your car before attempting to remove the battery. Your battery could explode if the car is on.

While keeping these tips at the forefront of your mind, it’s also important to remember the following:

• Keep the battery cables in their proper place with zip ties. If they touch, it can create deadly explosion-inducing sparks.
• Cover the positive battery cable end with a cloth once it is removed to avoid the risk of metal-to-metal contact.
• Take off any jewelry or metal — including necklaces, watches, and bracelets — to prevent getting electrocuted.
• Stay in a well-ventilated area to protect yourself from outgassing from the flammable and dangerous liquid compounds used in your car battery.

Here’s How to Remove a Car Battery

Now that you’ve prepared yourself, you can go about removing the car battery. Follow the instructions for a positive experience:

1. First, locate the negative battery terminal. It should have a black plastic cover and/or a minus sign.
2. Next, find the bolt head of the negative terminal and use a wrench or pliers to hold it steady. Use another set of pliers or a wrench to remove the nut.
3. Pull off the negative cable and place it safely away from the battery.
4. Repeat the above steps for the positive cable, being careful to ensure that the two battery cables do not touch!
5. If the battery is held by a securing bracket, use your pliers or wrench to take out the screws and bolts that hold it in place.
6. Lift the battery straight out of the bracket. It may be heavy.

How Many Volts is a Car Battery?

We talked about amperage earlier, so now we want to address voltage. A fully charged car battery should measure at about 12.6 volts or higher. This should increase to 13.7 to 14.7 volts when the engine is running. To determine if you need to replace your battery, test exactly how much voltage your car battery is holding by following the instructions below:

• Start your car and turn on your headlights.
• If the lights are dim, they may be running on your battery.
• If the lights get brighter when you rev the engine, the alternator may be producing some current, but not enough when idle to keep the battery charged.
• If the lights have a normal level of brightness, even when you rev the engine, your battery is likely working normally.

Visit Sid Dillon Buick of Lincoln to Learn More!

Stop by our service department if you’d like to learn more about how to replace a car battery. If you’re looking to service your vehicle in Hickman, take a look at the service specials offered on our website!