ALT-2 How to Change a Battery
First thing to do is make sure that it is your battery that needs replacing. Is your alternator ok, are all the wires connected, and especially, are the battery main leads tight on their terminals.
If yes is the answer to the above, then this is how you change the battery. First of all, check your owner's manual, does it have anything specific about changing the battery. Does the manual have the code to re-programme the radio. What type of battery do you need, you'll find it's all in there somewhere, so follow the old adage: double-check everything.
First thing to do is remove the negative terminal, make sure the connector is well away from the battery terminal, and cannot accidentally touch it. Then remove the positive terminal, also securing it safely away from the battery. You are now ready to remove the battery securing bolts and/or straps.
Once released, carefully lift the battery out of its compartment, but keep in mind how heavy these things are. You don't want to either drop the battery, or do yourself an injury. At this point it would be a good idea to check that the connectors on the leads to the battery are clean, and don't forget to do the same on the terminals of the new battery.
Pop the new battery in to its space, and tighten up the securing straps or bolts, making sure that there is no danger of shorting the terminals on the battery. Re-fit the positive cable onto the positive battery terminal. Make sure you have definitely put the positive cable on the correct side, before you go any further. Once done, and tightened, do the same for the negative terminal, again checking the polarity first.
Turn on the ignition; you should have all lights showing on your dash. If not, check the connectors on the battery are tight. If the lights now show, especially the battery light, then turn the engine over. Check that the battery light on the dash goes off when the engine is running; this shows that the alternator is sending power to charge your battery.
If your radio needs to be re-coded, this is the time to do it, assuming you remembered to look out the code. If you don't have it, then don't despair; there are websites out there who will provide the radio code free of charge for you. Just look around the Internet, you'll find them.
Last thing to note is that if your engine has a 'computer box' your car will run rough for 20-30 miles, as your computer has forgotten all the settings for your car, and will have to re-learn them. So don't worry if it coughs and wheezes a bit, it will soon settle down.
So there you are, you've done it, and hopefully saved yourself a bit of money in the process. Just don't forget, read the manual, and double check everything. It's hard to go wrong if you stick to that.
