Car batteries are an integral part of a car operation and like anything else, they stop working after a while. If your battery dies and cannot be charged while it is in its holding tray, you will need to remove the battery and then charge it. In this case, it is important to know how to disconnect car battery.
Let’s take a closer look at the exact process you should follow to disconnect your car battery safely.
How To Disconnect Car Battery
1. Start by Shut Everything Off
Before you start disconnecting the battery, first turn off your car. You should never attempt to disconnect your car’s battery while your car is on. We also recommend using safety equipment such as gloves and goggles if you have them on hand.
2. Locate the Battery
Most vehicles have their battery bolted under the hood. You’ll have to get to it. If you have never raised the hood of your vehicle, check your owner’s manual. There you will learn how to do it and where the battery is located under the front of the hood.
In some vehicles, the batteries are stowed out of sight in the trunk. If you can’t find your battery under the hood, it’s almost certainly in the rear of the vehicle. Recheck your owner’s manual to be sure.
3. The Positive and Negative Terminals
This is one of the most important steps. The positive terminal is marked with a “+” and the negative terminal with a “-“.
Some batteries have plastic caps covering the terminals that need to be removed to give you access to the battery cables “-” the wires that connect the battery to the rest of the vehicle “-” and the cable clips that you need to remove to disconnect the battery.
4. Remove the Negative Terminal Cable
Remove the plastic caps if your battery has them, then find a wrench that fits the nuts and bolts on your battery terminals.
Most, but not all, battery cable terminals have 10mm bolts, so you will likely need a 10mm open-end wrench to loosen the cables.
Make sure the car’s ignition is off. Once you’ve done that, place the wrench on the negative terminal’s nut and turn counterclockwise to loosen.
After loosening the nut, disconnect the negative cable from the battery and push it far to the side. It is important to ensure that this cable is completely out of the way and does not make contact with the battery again until you are ready.
5. Remove the Positive Terminal Cable
After removing the negative connector, repeat the exact same process for the positive connector. Again, ensure that you push the cable far away and out of contact with the battery. Now, your battery is officially disconnected!
6. Remove the Battery If Necessary
At this point, your battery should be entirely disconnected. However, you may need to remove the battery from the compartment to perform maintenance or replace it with a new battery.
Take off the bracket that holds the battery in place. Check out how the bracket works – sometimes they just snap into place. If it has nuts, use the same wrench you used to loosen the nuts on the clamps to remove the bracket.
Using both hands, lift the battery and keep it upright and level while moving it. Car batteries contain liquid battery acid – if it sloshes around it could leak and cause burns.
7. Reinstall the Battery or Install a Fresh One
Lift your new battery (or old one if it’s still good) back into place on its platform. Reinstall the securing strap or brace over the battery and tighten the nuts holding it in place as needed. Reconnect the positive cable to the positive terminal, ensuring it is secure.
Reconnect the negative cable to the battery negative terminal in the same way and you are done. Reset the digital clock in your vehicle as it is no longer showing the correct time.
