Haynes How-To: change a car battery
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Sections
- What is a 12V battery?
- How will I know when to replace the battery?
- Why change the battery?
- How to change your battery, step-by-step
- How much does a new car battery cost?
- Where to buy a replacement car battery
What is a 12v car battery?
All cars have 12-volt batteries — petrol, diesel, hybrid and even pure-electric cars such as ones made by Tesla. They are used to run the 12v electrical system (lights, stereo, heating, etc.) and generally use lead-acid chemistry.
These batteries are designed to last for many years but they aren’t as energy dense as the lithium-ion batteries which are used to power an electric car’s drive motor and can be found in mobile phones and laptops. Nor do they like to be fully drained and then fully recharged, which is why they’re connected to an alternator (or dynamo in classic cars) that keeps them topped up while the car is running.
Draining your 12V battery completely — for example by leaving the interior light switched on — is quite damaging to its long-term health. You can revive it via jump leads, but its efficiency will have been reduced. They also fade over time.
If you find your electrical system is having problems it may be down to a sluggish battery, and it will need replacing. Fortunately, this is an easy task and only requires basic tools. In most cases this procedure will take only half and hour or so.
How will I know when to replace the battery?
It’ll be obvious when your battery is completely flat — the central locking may not work and you won’t be able to start the engine — but knowing when a battery is reaching the end of its life is trickier. Many cars may have a battery warning light but if the battery fails while the car is parked, that’s not much help.
If you come to the car and find the battery is flat, you should still be able to start it up. Find the battery (usually under the bonnet, but check the car’s manual if you’re not sure) and use jump leads or a battery trickle-charger to send electrical charge from an external device directly into the 12V system (there should be instructions with the device).
You may also “bump start” a car with manual transmission. You do this by switching the ignition to “on”, depressing the clutch and engaging first gear, then have someone push the car forwards. Once you have sufficient motion, step off the clutch; this connects the moving wheels with the engine, turning it over and hopefully firing it up.
Once it’s started, take it for at least a 20-minute run to charge the 12v battery. When you get back, turn the engine off and restart it the next morning. If it’s flat again you’ll know there is a problem somewhere.
The first thing to do is check the battery leads are secure and clean.
Next, check the battery’s state of charge by either looking at the indicator eye (not present on all batteries), sampling the electrolyte in a battery hydrometer (not possible on sealed batteries) or perform a battery load or drain test with a suitable meter.
If it’s low, you should try replacing the battery with a new one.
Why change your battery?
Aside from the obvious inconvenience of being stranded somewhere without leads or someone to give you a bump start, a dead battery may require you to reset a car’s systems, such as the throttle position sensor, audio system, clock and more. This is undoubtedly time-consuming and Haynes strongly recommends fitting a new battery as soon as possible.
How to change your 12V battery
Work time
- Around 15-30 mins
Tools required
- Socket set – buy at Halfords.com
Parts that you may need
- New battery (£50-£200) – buy at Halfords.com
- Battery tray (£5-£15) – buy at Amazon.co.uk
- Battery retainer (£5-£10) – buy at Halfords.com
Note: A new battery retainer may not be required. It’s likely the original battery holder will still be useable.
Changing a battery: step-by-step
Warnings: While a 12v battery will not shock you through the skin, there are safety considerations. Son’t do this in wet conditions and avoid connecting the two terminals with anything metal, as this will make a circuit and cause sparks/ heat. This means removing large metal jewellery. Wear insulated work gloves to be sure and consider safety goggles.
- Undo the clamp nut and remove the cable from the negative terminal first.
- Do the same on the positive terminal
- Undo the battery hold-down clamp or bracket and lift out the battery. Be careful: it’s heavy
- Examine the battery tray and clean it if necessary
- Install the new battery, fitting the hold-down clamp(s) and securing the positive cable before the negative cable
How much does a new car battery cost?
The price of a car battery usually varies between £50 and £200 when purchased from online retailers. However, according to an investigation carried out by Auto Express some car owners may be charged up to a whopping £1,250 for a battery replacement by main dealerships. It’s really worth doing it yourself to avoid unnecessary cost.
Where to buy a car battery replacement
Several online retailers sell car battery replacements, including:
- Halfords – shop here
- Car Parts 4 Less – shop here
- Euro Car Parts – shop here
- Kwik Fit – shop here
- Amazon – shop here
Please note: all cars are different so if it is time to change your battery, you may want to look up instructions for your specific car at Haynes OnDemand. There may even be a video tutorial.
This article features products that have been chosen independently by Driving.co.uk journalists, and our reviews are unbiased. We may earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to affect our opinions.
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