Removing the battery from the car is a task that every car owner faces. This may be required to replace the battery itself, maintain it or temporarily store it, for example, in winter in a warm room.
It is quite possible for an ordinary motorist to quickly remove and then install the battery, and this, as a rule, does not require special skills. You just need to know a few rules and follow a certain procedure.
What can the wrong shutdown order lead to?
Mistakes and negligence when removing the battery can lead to both the failure of the battery itself and damage to the car's electronics. If a damaged battery can be replaced with a new one without great expense, then damage to the on-board computer as a result of a short circuit can cost you extremely.
How to remove the battery from the car
To properly remove the battery, you must follow a certain procedure exactly.
Preparation for work
For starters, if you suddenly don't know yet, find out exactly where the battery is located in your car. In a modern car, the battery can be located in various (sometimes unexpected) places: in the niche of the trunk floor, under the rear seat, under the front seat, in the floor under the passenger's feet.
If opening the hood you didn’t find the battery there, then look in the trunk and lift the floor panel - if it’s not there, then Google will help you, as they say.
Further, if the battery is covered with a cover, remove it. Use a brush (not a metal one!) to brush off accumulated dust and dirt from it. Find out what bolts tighten the battery terminals and prepare the appropriate wrenches or sockets (in most cases they are 10 or 13 mm in size).
Video - how to remove the battery from a Mitsubishi ASX car:
The battery will be fixed in its compartment. Inspect and figure out how to remove the mount and what tool will be required for this.
What conditions must be met
Before unscrewing and throwing off the terminals from the battery, you need to:
- turn off the ignition of the car (it is better to remove the ignition key and put it in your pocket);
- turn off all working electrical appliances in the car (lights, radio, headlights and other things that can function when the ignition key is pulled out). This is necessary to ensure that all electronics tied to turning on the ignition are turned off;
- cover all windows in the car, carefully close all doors and trunk (if your battery is located in the trunk, then, accordingly, the hood);
- If your car is equipped with a mass switch, turn it off.
Some car alarms tend to automatically block all doors in the event of a power failure of the car. Well, if at such a moment, the ignition key is in your pocket, and not inside the car.
If you have the original manual for your car, then check: there may be instructions on what and how to do it in your car before dismantling the battery.
When all preparations are completed, you can begin to remove it.
Which battery terminal to remove first
Remember: always remove the negative battery terminal first.! You can determine where your battery has “plus” and where “minus” is by the color of the wires (plus is always red) or by the “+” and “-” marks on the battery itself.
This requirement is valid for all types of cars: injection, carburetor, with or without alarm, immobilizer.
Do not believe it if you read or hear somewhere that it makes no difference which terminal to remove first: “plus” or “minus”.
The negative terminal of the battery is connected to the body of your car - "ground". By removing the terminal from the minus, you, accordingly, disconnect the battery from the car body. In the future, if, when removing the positive terminal, a wrench accidentally jumps off or falls out and touches some metal part of the body or engine, nothing will happen. The circuit: “battery minus - car body” is broken and a short circuit will not happen.
If you start to remove the positive terminal from the battery first and accidentally touch a metal part of the car body or engine with a key, a short circuit will occur, as a result of which, due to a strong current surge, even disconnected electronic devices in the car can be damaged.
Remember: in a modern car there are electronic components that NEVER turn off and always remain energized. It is they who are damaged in the event of a short circuit on the battery most often.
Longer contact of the "plus" of the battery with the case can even lead to a fire in the battery and a fire.
Procedure
- loosen the fastening nut on the negative terminal without unscrewing it completely;
- remove the terminal, take it to the side and fix it;
The wires on the battery terminals are thick and elastic, so if they are not fixed, the terminal may accidentally “jump” back onto the contact and cause a short circuit. For fastening, you can use wire or plastic fasteners.
Video - how to remove the battery from the VW Polo Sedan:
If, when the terminal is removed, a spark jumps between it and the battery contact, then this means that some device you have left on (or a malfunction in the car's electrical wiring).
- loosen the fastening nut of the positive terminal without unscrewing it completely;
- remove the positive terminal and also fix it away from the battery;
- remove the battery holder.
If the terminal is stuck
If one or both terminals are covered with a white coating, then before removing them, they must first be cleaned with a brush (preferably a hard one, but not a metal one).
If the terminal is “stuck” to the contact, you can use the WD 40 solvent. Treat the terminal with it, then carefully pry it from the bottom with a large screwdriver and shake it a little. Then try to slightly twist the terminal from side to side until you can remove it.
Important: avoid strong efforts so as not to damage the battery contacts.
How to take out
After both terminals are removed from the battery, release the battery from the holder holding it. The battery can then be carefully pulled out.
When dismantling the battery, try to keep it upright to avoid possible spillage of acid. Despite the good tightness of modern batteries, this sometimes happens.
Features of removal from a car with an on-board computer
When the battery is removed or disconnected, the on-board computer loses all stored data received from sensors in various vehicle operating modes.
Accordingly, after installing a new battery, you will need to test the car in different modes so that the computer again records and stores the necessary parameters in memory. If this is not done, then the engine may malfunction.
Possible problems when removing the battery
With alarm
When the battery is disconnected, malfunctions of the alarm system of your car may occur, namely:
- loss of one or more keys/remote controls;
- failure of any additional alarm functions.
If this happens, then to restore the alarm, you will need to contact a specialized service.
It should be noted that failures in the operation of the alarm when the battery is disconnected occur quite rarely.
With radio / radio
Before removing the battery, check if your car radio is equipped with a security PIN code. If so, please make sure you have the correct PIN.
After disconnecting, all radio settings will be reset and when you reconnect, you will need to re-enter the PIN code and set up the radio.
What not to do with the battery
- damage the hull
- damage the plugs of the filling holes and their necks;
- turn over or strongly tilt the battery;
- damage the contacts (for example, by trying to force unsuitable wire terminals on them);
- store a discharged battery (especially at sub-zero temperatures);
- add acid.
Precautionary measures
Remember - the battery is quite heavy. Hold it firmly and try to avoid hitting it so as not to damage the battery case.
Important! If battery acid comes into contact with your skin or clothing, wash the area with a solution of regular baking soda. In the absence of soda, simply rinse the places of acid contact with plenty of water.
If you have an alkaline battery, then if alkali gets on your clothes or skin, you will need to wash them with an acid solution. (Regular citric acid or a 10% vinegar solution will work for this.)
It is best if you wear protective gloves when removing the battery.
During battery operation, hydrogen is released from it through the ventilation holes. This gas is extremely explosive. Even a small spark from an accidental short circuit can, under certain conditions, lead to an explosion. Therefore, it is better to work with the battery in a well-ventilated area or outdoors.
How to properly connect the battery to the car
Important! When installing the battery in its place, pay attention to the location of the “+” and “-” contacts so as not to put the battery in the opposite direction: with the positive contact to the negative wire.
There will be no particular harm from this - the sizes of the positive and negative contacts are different and it will simply not work to put the negative terminal on the positive contact without using a hammer.
If you fully tighten the fixing nut on the positive terminal, and it still hangs loosely on the contact, check if you put the positive terminal on the negative terminal.
The battery is installed in the reverse order:
- put the battery in its place in the car;
- carefully fix it with a regular mount;
- tightly put the positive terminal on the corresponding contact;
- tighten the fixing nut;
- then repeat the same with the negative battery terminal.
If the contacts or terminals are covered with a characteristic white coating, remove it with a stiff brush (non-metallic). You can also use a special cleaner for electrical contacts.
Attention! Do not use hard metal brushes to clean contacts or terminals! They leave deep scratches on the battery contacts and on the terminals, which leads to their heating during operation.
Before tightening the fastening nuts, you can lubricate the terminals with special oil for electrical contacts or technical vaseline.
Easy Care
Every time you look under the hood, be sure to check the condition of the battery terminals and clean them if you see that they are covered with a white coating.
If you do not have time to remove the terminals, you can alternatively just cover them with soda and hold for 15-20 minutes. Then wash off the resulting dirt with water.
In addition to contacts and terminals, the ventilation openings should be cleaned regularly. They are located in the plugs of the middle cans of the battery.
Conclusion
Despite the simplicity of disconnecting and replacing the battery, in some modern car models stuffed to the brim with sophisticated electronics (for example, VW Faeton, the operation of components and mechanisms of which is controlled by 5 on-board computers and another, sixth, which manages the work of the first five), it is better not to change the battery on your own at all, but to contact an official representative office or a service station.
The risk of failure of the on-board computer, resetting the settings or other troubles is very high, and further repair or adjustment will be much more expensive than the cost of replacing the battery.
Video - how to remove the battery from the Citroen Berlingo 2:
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Comments on the article:
Rustam
Faced with a situation how to remove the battery recently. My wife and I returned from vacation, went to start the car, but the car wouldn’t start, didn’t react to anything at all. Immediately began to suspect that the battery sat down. The neighbor had a charger. I don’t even remember which terminal I took off first - I didn’t even think about it. But everything worked out for me and nothing bad happened. I just charged the battery, put it in its place and started driving.
Volodya
Recently I was on a hunt, I forgot to turn off the headlights, they stood for only 20 minutes and the whole car would not start. A car passing by “lit a cigarette”, there were good wires, otherwise we would have to cuckoo in the forest. Came home fine. Everything was fine for a couple of days, then the frost hit and everything started, the car stopped. I tried to charge it myself, but it didn't work. I had to take it to a car service. There the masters did everything as it should be. Now at -30 it starts without problems.
Paul
The battery turned 5 years old and then one frosty morning -20 autostart could not start the engine, even with the ignition key I could not breathe life into the car. And how it's not on time! In the evening I removed the battery (according to the instructions) and put it on charge for the night.
Igor Vasilievich
I think it’s not worth paying special attention to the spark that jumps on the terminal during removal. The memory in the watch, receiver, etc. puts little strain on the battery anyway, so there will always be a little spark.
Maria
The other day I ran into a problem how to remove the battery))) my husband went to another city, leaving me our car. And on the street just crushed under -30. The car was on startup all night, and in the end Akum failed. I had to turn to a neighbor - a sincere uncle turned out to be))) Everything ended well, the neighbor charged at home and put it back!)
Lucy
My car was left to "spend the night" with the marker lights on. To go to work .. Well, my brother helped out, changed the battery. I didn't dare take it off.)
Anya
I live in the north, we have very strong frosts (up to -50), so I suffer with the battery almost every day. But recently I was told that if you slightly increase the density of the battery electrolyte, then even in such frosts it is possible to start the car. And it turned out to be true! The car is hard to start, but I advise you to use this tip for operating batteries in cold weather)
Anton
With all the outward simplicity of working with a battery, there are always a couple of important points. Yes, remove the negative terminal first. Before the onset of cold weather, remove and charge it. 4-5 years is the average battery life, after that you need to think about buying a new one. If in the cold it sits on the car completely discharged for several days, then you can irretrievably lose it. For the winter, pour winter oil into the engine, it will be much easier for it. Well, when buying a new one, there are nuances with the location of the terminals and the size of the installation site, so it’s better to go to the store by car on which the battery will be installed.
novel
I remember in my youth I did not attach importance to simple rules when removing a battery from a car. Therefore, its service life was reduced. In modern cars, designers have a battery (sometimes in the trunk, sometimes in the floor). I prepare the keys and look at the connectors and gradually release the terminals (I start with a negative one). It must be remembered that the battery is heavy and if you do not hold it, it will be damaged and become unusable. I take out the battery without haste. If the on-board computer in the car will need to be tested after its installation, the electronics and there may be problems with the alarm. Nowadays, it is not a problem to contact a car service in case of a failure.
Kirill
Most recently, they forgot to turn off the light in the car and left the city for a few days. Upon arrival, we were in for an unpleasant surprise - the battery was dead. It's good that there are no severe frosts on the street and we always have wires in the trunk. I had to ask a neighbor to light a cigarette for us, but it’s worth remembering that you can’t light a cigarette if the electrolyte has leaked out, the battery emits a strong smell or heats up. Well, the discharge level was not critical, and it saved us. Now I always check the light in the car. I don't want to be in those situations anymore.
And I would like to hear feedback on chargers, who uses what?
Nicholas
There is nothing complicated, just in some cars it is not always located in convenient places. But if you do not know all the nuances when removing and installing the battery, then this can lead to a malfunction of the electronics in the car. You need to stock up on keys of the appropriate size and turn off the ignition and remove the terminals from all devices. Again, the minus one is always removed first. Sometimes the terminal sticks, I use a solvent. I always remember that after removing the battery, the on-board computer can be weird, so after installing a new battery, I test the car in different modes and the computer saves all the parameters.
Dima
If the car is without an on-board computer, then you don’t even need to be afraid. Just take a look at how an experienced driver does it once or watch a video on the Internet. The main thing in this matter is not to rush, to see where the battery is located, since in modern models it can be hidden in the most unexpected place. Open the niche and use the wrenches to unscrew the nuts and separate the terminals. Pull out the battery slowly so that it does not fall, otherwise it will crack and then you will have to buy a new one. But if there is an on-board computer in the car, then you need to be extremely careful and, first of all, turn off the ignition and all devices. Yes, and you need to remove, starting from the negative terminal.
Peter
The most basic and important thing when removing the battery is that the ignition key is in the driver's pocket, not in the ignition, not on the seat, not in the glove compartment, not on the panel. The central lock can block all doors and only a specialist with a “crowbar” can open them, or break the glass of the door. Such cases were, are and will be. Otherwise, the procedure for removing the battery is simple and after a couple of attempts to remove and replace the battery, the young driver will remember the sequence of actions. Do not leave the battery unattended while charging, it is not the best option to leave it to charge in a closed garage overnight!
Kolya R.
In my opinion, it doesn't matter which terminal to remove first! How many cars have been in twenty years, and these are pretty decent and fresh Land Rover, Passat SS and Honda CR-V, there was not a single problem. But with battery mounts, especially with those that are screwed onto threaded connections, sometimes troubles happened. Sometimes they rusted tightly, I had to use a rather rough metalwork tool, everything under the hood is shiny and almost new, and around the battery the bare metal was covered with rust. One car mechanic said that due to the evaporation of acid from the cans of the battery, when the electrolyte is actively boiling during a long recharge.
Sergei
If you leave the car for a long-term parking, then it is also advisable to remove the terminals, clean and seal them (wrap a plastic bag over an elastic band) until the next operation to preserve the battery charge. In winter, be sure to remove the battery in order to prevent freezing and complete failure of it. Before moving the device into a closed room, be sure to check for cracks and smudges, it is advisable to clean the joints and put on the caps. We must not forget that a disconnected battery discharges over time - before operation, it is necessary to check with a multimeter, if necessary, carry out a complete preventive maintenance.
Tatyana
I only had to remove the battery twice. The infection is heavy - they ate it to the workbench in the garage (her husband had no time). I had to shoot after I forgot to close the driver's door and the car stood for a week in the garage. The battery is completely dead. So I had to buy a new one. The old one didn't hold a charge. When I put in a new one, I forgot the key with the key fob in the car, and when I began to connect the minus, the alarm went off. The doors were locked and there was nothing I could do. It's good that in the garage there was a box from under the signaling, and there was a small key in it. I removed the rubber plug on the signaling and turned it off with this key. And then home for the second key fob. Now I never leave the keys in the car and the second key fob in the garage.
Vladislav
I think it is necessary to remove the battery at least twice a year, especially if it is in the engine compartment. The fact is that sand, old foliage and other dirt can accumulate under it, which practically does not dry out. Accordingly, a center of corrosion appears under the battery and the first holes in the body can begin there. The sequence of disconnection from the on-board network is clear - the first terminal is negative, then positive. If the nuts are very acidified, or even worse, dead rusted - in no case do not use brute force - roll up the lead terminal, go for a new battery. It is better to cut the nut with a grinder.
Lyokha
With the battery, as with any device that can shy current, you must handle it carefully and follow certain safety rules. If the vehicle is not expected to be driven for a long time, the battery must be removed to avoid unpleasant situations.
George
The rule to disconnect the negative terminal of the battery first is a guarantee of the safety of the car from a short circuit. It is possible to break this rule if a mass switch is built into the car. Then it does not matter which wire to remove first - negative or positive. It is important to understand that the lead terminals of the battery are very soft and when installing the battery back, it does not require much effort to tighten the wire ends, as deformation will occur and subsequent similar procedures will not work. The wire ends will twist and have poor contact.
Laura
I try once again not to climb to the nodes of the car, but there are a few things that every driver (including women) must know and be able to do. Removing / installing the battery is just one of those. I had to shoot so far only once, but it was alarming. I've heard so much about high currents and the chance to "kill" the wiring and nodes susceptible to them! I had to call a neighbor and carry out this operation under his control. I remembered that you need to start with the negative terminal, gently shake the stuck contacts, in no case pull the wires and, most importantly, do not drop the heavy bandura on your feet. Well, the neighbor said so. In general, I did well.
Ivanovich
Currently, modern drivers do not have the careful attitude to batteries, as before. The battery can be easily bought, they are always on sale, cars are used all year round, so few people remove the battery in winter, transferring it to a warm room. But you still have to remove the battery, mainly for recharging, or replacing the battery with a new one. The work of removing and installing is really not difficult, on the one hand, and on the other hand, you need to know many features of this work. In my youth, when removing from careless shooting, I had to break the battery case, break the terminal on the battery, and if I had to remove and install it often, then break the wire of the negative terminal. The appearance of an injector and an alarm on cars also had to study the features of replacing the battery. Once, during a battery replacement, the alarm closed all the doors for me, along with the ignition key. It's good that this happened in the courtyard of his house, I used a duplicate. In general, this work should be carried out more carefully.
Oleg
Before removing the battery, you need to understand why? If the battery is out of order, then definitely remove it. Charge - you can not shoot. Repair work is needed, it is necessary to de-energize, it is also not necessary to remove it, just throw off the terminal. The battery closes access to other parts of the car, then you can’t do without removal. So we see that it is not always necessary to shoot. But if you really have to, then you need to remember that if you have a foreign car, where the electronics, secret police, on-board computer, removing the battery can be a problem. My neighbor in the garage changed the battery for a new one on AUDI 6, and so his brains flew off in the car and had to be dragged by a tow truck to a service center. Therefore, to prevent this from happening, you must first connect an additional battery through the terminals or the cigarette lighter. Then everything is according to the article: we remove the minus, then the plus, then the bar holding the battery with the keys, then carefully remove it and put it on a flat surface. By the way, the battery weighs from 18 kg, so be careful.
Max
Wires can lose their color from time to time and due to coating from technical oils, it is better to mark them additionally for polarity. At random, serious malfunctions can be made. And it is better to process the terminals with specials. spray before each removal and installation.
Alexey
Problems when removing the battery can arise either due to the gouging of the one who removes it (it started from the wrong terminal), or if the battery has not been dismantled for a long time (the wires “stick”). Unfortunately, in my practice I have gone through both problems. I still remember my first dismantling - it turned out to be painfully “funny” ...
Olga
I have an old 2108. So I have no problem removing the battery. But her husband has an Audi Q5 and he went on a business trip, and left the car in the garage with the doors open, and when he arrived he could not start it. Removed the battery and took it to charge. Then the car wouldn't start. The service said that the failure of the brain due to the disconnection of the battery. They said before you shoot, you need to connect another battery in parallel and only then disconnect the old one. And then I had to rewire my brain.
Elena
I removed the battery, put a new one in and the window lifters stopped working. What's happened???
It just so happened that the article about collected enough comments and likes - both on the blog and on the YOUTUBE channel. In it, I noticed that in order for the battery not to discharge, you need to “throw off” the terminal, this is especially true if you leave the car for a long time - say for 2 - 3 months, or even for the winter. And if you leave the car in the parking lot, say for a couple of weeks, then it is better to remove it as well. However, my readers on the channel, the question arose - which one, you need to shoot plus or minus? After all, they work differently! The question is fair and, in my opinion, very correct, so I decided to write this article and shoot a video, I’ll put everything “on the shelves”, as usual ...
Guys, what I want to note is that you need to remove the terminal in the summer, if you don’t plan to drive your car for a long time, this will save your battery from discharge. After all, there are micro-leakage currents in the on-board network, which sooner or later will draw the entire charge from the battery.
Why does the battery drain when parked for a long time?
Guys, it's simple, our battery is hardwired into the car's network. Even when you turn off the ignition and pull the key out of the lock, you do not cut off all consumers.
The point here is this, there are devices that “suck out” energy even when the ignition is off. These include - alarm (there are also beacons), a radio tape recorder, an on-board computer, etc. Of course, these are microcurrents for a couple - three days of car downtime will not be able to discharge the battery, but after a month or two, the discharge can drop critically, say, to the same 12V, recharging is already needed at least. Therefore, to avoid such leaks, you need to turn off the battery from the on-board network. This is done simply - remove the terminal.
Self-discharge currents
It is also worth noting that the battery has so-called self-discharge currents. Even if the terminal is thrown off and the common circuit is open, the chemical processes inside smoothly discharge the battery. Already after 6 - 7 months the discharge can be about 30% of a fully charged battery. The so-called "dirty top layer" can aggravate the matter, as a rule - the battery is located on the street (under the hood), on its surface between the terminals, right on the lids of the cans, various substances accumulate, it can be like - dirt, moisture, oils, residues coolant - anti-freeze, etc., they form a microfilm that closes the electrodes, thereby increasing the self-discharge currents. That's why it's so important to keep the top clean.
If we talk about plus and minus plates, which, then minus ones have a large self-discharge. From time to time, they begin to dissolve in, while releasing hydrogen.
As I wrote above, the discharge will not come instantly, but after 10 months the battery will lose half of its charge.
Why do not many people throw off the terminal?
There are also several reasons, and they are all worldly:
- They just can't , they don’t know how, they never threw off and don’t know what it is (especially true with). Therefore, to begin with, we read the article - how the battery works, then how to remove the terminal. Much to be cleared up.
- central locking . The fact is that many cars have central locking - that is, if you disconnect the battery, you can close only one door with a key - the driver's, but the rest remain as if open.
There are two ways here:
- Open the hood - then close the doors from the remote control - disconnect the terminal - close the hood. This is if you do not have latches on top of the door, this also happens on expensive cars.
- If there are latches. We remove the terminal - we sit in an open car - we lower all the "lambs" on the doors (passenger) with the handles - then we lock the driver's door with the key.
The car is closed. Advice if it's winter outside, grease the keyhole with silicone for locks to. After all, there is a thaw and frost, water gets in, you are tormented to warm it up.
- Settings will fail . Some drivers are worried that their mileage will disappear, all the parameters of the car will disappear. Guys, these are also bikes, all data is firmly sewn into the computer of your “iron horse”, even if it stays without a battery for a long time, say six months, they will not disappear! The maximum that can go astray is the radio and audio settings. But it fixes itself in a couple of minutes.
- Fear of car theft . Leave it connected so that the alarm and beacon (if any) work. But here I also want to object - if the parking is really serious, then your car is under serious supervision (cameras, dogs, security, etc.). If this is parking in the yard, I would be generally afraid to leave it even for 2-3 days. So if we leave for 2-3 months or just don’t use it, we choose a proven parking lot.
- Hope for battery reliability. Many people write - but I don’t care, I have a serious company who made my battery, it won’t run out for a long time. There is some truth in this - more lead is used there, the plates are stronger, but even they will not withstand 3 months of connection to the power supply system, without movement. There is an option to freeze your battery with a deep discharge. If you're not lucky, just throw out your new, "twisted" battery.
In general, we definitely shoot, there is no need to tempt fate, it will just be more correct. Well, now actually - which one needs to be removed.
Which one are we filming and why?
As you know, our battery has only two contacts, one is positive, the other is negative. If the plus goes directly to the right consumers, such as a generator, starter, power supplies, ECUs, etc. That negative terminal is "powered", which is said "to ground". What does it mean? The car body is a "metal" box that conducts electricity perfectly. So why also pull the negative wires, if you can screw the wire to the body from the battery minus, and then power it to the minus from the body of the desired consumer. That is, the body in the majority is the minus of the car (more precisely, it goes through it). If you turn on the logic here, and so everything is already clear.
Remember, always remove the negative battery terminal! This is done because the minus goes to the car body, and this is a very large inertial mass. Also, as I wrote above, the negative plates dissolve in sulfuric acid on their own after a long period of inactivity. The positive contact in this case is much more advantageous, there is no such inertial load on it.
Of course, you can also remove the “plus”, this will also cut down the network of the machine! But this is not entirely correct, the mass of the body will negatively affect the negative terminal, self-discharge will accelerate.
There are many reasons for dismantling an auto-battery. The battery may be discharged or the vehicle may be stored in sub-zero temperatures in the winter without mileage. Perhaps you are renting equipment for repair, selling or changing batteries. It is not difficult to remove the battery from the car, but there are certain rules on how to do it without negative consequences for the equipment. The sequence of actions is prescribed in the operating instructions for the car. Failure to follow the rules can lead to a short circuit, failure of the electronics, the generator, and even electric shock to the “craftsman”.
In what order should the battery be removed
Ways to properly remove a car battery in different models are different. On some brands of cars there is a shield to turn off the mass, others are equipped with a special toggle switch. On premium cars, it is not recommended to remove the battery on your own; during the dismantling process, the ECU may be reset to zero, reconfiguration will be required. Such work is performed in the service center.
The general rule is to turn off the engine, remove the ignition key, and take it out of the passenger compartment before removing the battery. Before removing the battery, turn off all consumers:
- external and internal lighting;
- wiper and heating motors;
- cigarette lighter;
- air conditioner;
- audio systems and other energy users.
Removing the battery should not be done in cramped conditions, carefully. In advance, it is necessary to prepare the keys for removing the strapping and terminals, the composition that neutralizes the leakage of liquid electrolyte. It is not allowed to tap the connections on the body, the lead plates may be destroyed. It is safe to remove a car battery by observing the following conditions:
- the “-” terminal is disconnected and only then “+”;
- fastening clamps are removed;
- the battery is carefully removed without sharp blows;
- the body is installed on a flat horizontal plate;
- work outdoors or in a ventilated area.
The nest where aggressive slag has accumulated, neutralize and clean the liquid, not forgetting about your own safety.
How to properly remove the battery from the car
When working with a battery, it must be remembered that despite the harmless voltage, a current of 50-1000 A is generated in the car. When a short circuit is formed, a body with a negative charge becomes deadly. How to safely remove a car battery? First of all, the cathode voltage is removed - the negative wire connector. In this case, a short circuit is excluded when the positive terminal is connected to the body with some random jumper.
The battery can be located under the hood, in the trunk or under the front seats in the cabin.
- It is necessary to release the battery from thermal insulation, protective casings.
- Make sure the terminals are clean and remove the ground connection first.
- Before you remove the terminal from the car battery, you need to swing it by turning it clockwise and counterclockwise. We will do the same with the positive connection.
Now you need to release the case from the clamps and gently remove. How to remove the battery if the car has an alarm system? This aspect must be taken into account. Completely disconnecting the power can force the ECU to reprogram it. It happens that the alarm is triggered during the period of disconnection of the terminals, then the sound must be turned off in advance. During the period of disconnection of the battery, the doors may be blocked. That is why the keys to a working lock should be outside the cabin.
Do you always have to remove the battery from the car to service it? Preventive inspection and measurements are made at the installation site:
- Measurement of the voltage at the terminals is carried out with an open circuit with a multimeter. When fully charged below 12V, the battery needs to be charged.
- The battery voltage at the terminals should be 13 - 14.4 V at full load and all consumers are connected.
- Electrolyte control in banks when using serviced devices is checked using a glass tube.
- The density of the electrolyte is determined by a hydrometer 3 hours after charging.
- The electrolyte for central Russia should have a density of 1.27 - 1.29 g / cc. In the northern regions - 1.3 g / cc.
Sometimes it is necessary to remove the covers from the battery in order to measure the electrolyte level. Lids or plugs provide access to the inside of the jar. They can be made flush with the body. You can unscrew the part using a 5-ruble coin or other wide flat object. Before removing the plug, you should wear rubber gloves - inside the electrolyte. When recharging old batteries from the mains, the covers must be removed.
Is it possible to remove the battery while the car is running?
There are situations when the battery is removed while the car engine is running. Experts say that on old Soviet-made cars, such as the Volga and VAZ, you can remove the battery from a running car. In this case, you should set the average engine speed, connect consumers to average voltage surges. In this case, it is necessary to carefully handle the positive line, ensure its 100% isolation from metal parts and the housing.
Is it possible to remove the old battery from a running machine, install a backup battery? When replacing batteries on modern machines with finely tuned electronics, it is necessary to create a jumper between the two power sources. Replacing the battery with the engine running will allow you not to reconfigure the computer, since the voltage in the control networks has not disappeared. The jumper is removed last, when the new battery is fixed in place.
How to close the car with the battery removed
Before removing the battery, you need to make sure that the central lock is mechanically sound, it closes against rotation. Is it possible to remove the battery from the car when the lock is closed. Procedure for a working key:
- opening the car from the key fob;
- battery dismantling;
- locking the door with a key;
- opening the door with a key;
- opening the hood and installing a power source;
- keychain work.
Another sequence is also used. They practice loosening the terminals and fasteners on the battery. Within 30 seconds, you need to remove the battery, close the hood so that the emergency flasher does not turn on. Then the opening of the car occurs from the key fob. It happens that difficulties arise when the battery is in place, but sat down. Then they use methods to penetrate the salon, using special and improvised means.
Video
Perhaps for beginners, a video on how to remove the battery from the car will be useful.
The battery is removed from the car for various reasons. This may be replacing an old battery or scheduled maintenance of the current one, or simply recharging the battery. Not every motorist knows that it is necessary to remove the battery in a certain sequence. This allows you to save the resource of the device, and also protects the electrician of the machine from burnout.
Removing the battery is easy. So many motorists think so. However, they do not suspect that simply disconnecting the terminals from the battery pack can lead to burnout of individual auto components. To avoid these situations, you should know the rules for removing the battery.
Removing the battery from the car
First you need to know if it is possible to remove the battery from this particular car at all? The question is not as simple as it seems. When properly handled, the battery does not pose any danger, but when the ignition is turned on, the battery delivers the maximum starting current.
At this point, in a passenger car, the current in the battery can reach 250 - 300 amperes. Trucks have more powerful batteries. They give out from 500 to 1000A of starting current. This charge melts steel wrenches left on the battery terminals. 
One can imagine what will happen to the electronics in the car with a short circuit with a current of such strength.
Important! A short circuit in a car is extremely dangerous, because of it, fires regularly occur.
Battery replacement requires care and attention. The first thing that can suffer if the battery is removed incorrectly is ECU(electronic control unit). Consider cases for different cars when the battery is replaced so that the electrics of the car do not suffer.
Battery and ECU
For any machines and mechanisms, there is a "golden rule", which is as follows: before removing the battery, be sure to stop the engine! Unfortunately, not all car owners understand this. As a result - burnout of individual components of the machine, or a complete failure of all electrics and electronics. First of all, it concerns the ECU.
Important! Always stop the engine before removing the battery!
The ECU is responsible for managing all electrical and electronic components in the car. This is the "brain" of the car. In different brands of cars, there may be one or more ECUs. They can be responsible both for the entire management of the electrician, and for individual modules and nodes. 
It happens that the control unit burns out or stops working correctly. The car stalls and completely rises. The reason for the ECU failure may lie in the wrong battery removal algorithm.
To remove the battery without damaging the computer, you need to understand whether these components are tied to each other. Consider three categories of passenger cars in which the removal of the battery in one way or another affects the operation of the main control unit:
- Expensive luxury cars. This includes such cars as: Infinity, Lexus, BMW and other executive or luxury cars. In these cars, self-removal of the battery can drastically affect the operation of all vehicle components. The manufacturers themselves warn car owners that the replacement of the battery in their cars can only be done at the official MOT. It is worth listening to their instructions.
- Cars with protection when removing the battery. Some cars have a special toggle switch that is responsible for safely removing the battery. Before replacing the battery, you must turn on this switch and only then proceed to remove the battery.
- The rest of the cars. Most vehicles are not equipped with battery removal protection. However, they do not have trouble with the ECU when simply removing the battery. The maximum that can happen is to reset the clock on the dashboard, and the settings of the radio station and the radio equalizer will be reset.
Important! In expensive cars, self-replacement of the battery removes the car from warranty service. This condition is prescribed by both dealers and manufacturers themselves.
Any battery must be removed from the vehicle in stages. This will avoid breakdowns, as well as preserve the health of the car owner. Let's consider the algorithm of actions in more detail. 
Correct instruction
- Before removing the battery from the vehicle, wear long sleeves and work gloves. This will protect the skin from accidental contact with electrolyte. To remove the battery, you will need keys for 8 or 10. Before starting work, make sure that the engine is not running. Then proceed according to the algorithm:
- Open the hood and inspect the battery mount. In some machines, the battery is secured with a plate or bracket. Also, the battery may have a plastic cover or sound insulation. It is necessary to remove all fasteners, as well as a cover or sound insulation.
Important! Plugs must be installed on the battery terminals. They are placed to avoid short circuits. Check that these plugs are in place. The positive terminal (+) must be closed with a protective cap without fail. This is a prerequisite for safe operation when removing the retaining bracket from the battery.
At first glance, all the steps are very simple. However, it is precisely this sequence of removing the battery that minimizes all the risks of an accidental short circuit. It is also worth observing certain precautions when removing the battery.
Useful video
Check out a detailed video review of how to remove the battery.
Precautionary measures
The process of removing the battery is not always without trouble. Problems may occur during operation.
To prevent them, follow the rules:
It is important to follow these rules. Particular attention should be paid to carrying and removing the battery.
Possible problems
Even such a seemingly simple action can lead to serious problems.
The greatest danger is a short circuit in the wiring of the car. Because of it, the insulation from the wires will instantly melt, the contact parts will solder, and there is a high probability of a car catching fire.
Burnout of electronic systems of a car. It can blow out as a simple fuse, as well as individual electric blocks and the ECU itself.
Damage to additional devices installed on the car, such as a radio. To prevent such consequences, all these devices should be turned off in advance.
Important! The appearance of sparks on the terminals during the removal of the battery indicates that there are devices left in the car that are not disconnected.
All this is easy enough to avoid, for this you just need to remove the terminals correctly. 
Conclusion
Removing the battery is a simple task. But its implementation will require a certain skill, as well as knowledge of the safety rules when working with this vehicle unit. It is important to remember the basic rule - never remove the battery while the engine is running!
The reliability and stability of the operation of modern cars is determined by many factors, including battery life. It can fail unexpectedly and right on the track, so you should maintain the working condition of the battery through special devices. If the charge is minimal or the device needs repair, then, as a rule, it becomes necessary to remove it. It would seem that the task is elementary - a few simple manipulations, and the battery is removed. In fact, inexperienced motorists are faced with a lot of issues, the wrong solution of which leads to problems with new batteries. Others even doubt whether it is possible to remove the battery without the help of a specialist? The answer is simple - you can, but only with knowledge of the intricacies of this delicate operation.
When is the battery removed?
There are two main reasons for dismantling. Firstly, when the unit is obviously defective - it needs to be repaired or its final replacement is planned. Secondly, if heating, inspection or other operations are planned that do not involve replacing the battery. There are no fundamental differences in approaches to seizure regarding the reasons mentioned, however, in the first case, it is worth carefully examining the contacts, brand, parameters and features of the battery. Understanding how to remove the battery from the car is not enough if you need to install a new one in its place. In such cases, information about the old model will help with the purchase of a replacement device.
In most cases, the battery is simply discharged, and to facilitate its charging, the motorist dismantles the unit. It is also worth considering that an outwardly non-repairable battery may in fact be serviceable. A critical sign, having found which, you can remove the battery for disposal, is a non-working recharge - in such situations, there is a process of sulfation of the plates, which no car chemistry can stop or correct.
Preparing to remove the battery
The main thing to consider in this operation is the risk of depressurization of potent and even hazardous chemicals. Therefore, it is desirable to organize work outside the garage or other cramped space. In open areas, the process is carried out more freely and safely.
Knowing how to remove the battery from a car, backed up by safety measures, will save you unnecessary trouble. For example, to minimize the risk of electrolyte leakage, appropriate substances and solutions must be provided. For example, soda alcohol or ammonia. If an alkaline battery is used, a weak acidic solution will be required. These compositions will help in time to eliminate traces of electrolyte both on the surface of the machine and on the skin, which, by the way, should also have individual protection.
Disconnecting the terminals - where to start?
You can start when the ignition is off. Then the minus turns off. This battery terminal is connected to the structural elements of the machine, the engine and almost all metal parts. This is important to consider in order to understand how to properly remove the battery without the risk of accidental contact between the key, terminal and body metal. This will cause a spark, which should be avoided. Conversely, when working with a minus, such situations are excluded by definition. When the negative contact is disconnected, you can safely proceed to the second terminal.
battery removal procedure
The list of necessary tools is minimal: two keys are enough - 10 and 13 mm. Using a suitable model, the nut is unscrewed, through which the battery is secured. Then the fixing bolts are unscrewed, and the clamp must be removed from the front side. Now you can remove the battery, but in such a way that tilts and sharp manipulations are reduced as much as possible. In addition, it is undesirable for the battery to come into contact with clothing and, especially, skin.
When the battery is removed, it is recommended that you perform an initial inspection and basic cleaning - this will be required for safety reasons and regardless of what you plan to do with the battery in the future. First, it is necessary to assess the condition of the block in terms of tightness - cracks and traces of electrolyte leakage must be strictly recorded. By the way, the sequence of how to remove the battery allows you to detect possible defects in the case even during the dismantling process.
Next, the terminals, housing, clamps, as well as other surfaces and elements are cleaned. If areas of corrosion from spilled electrolyte are found, then it is necessary to use the same prepared solutions. In some cases, such areas are also painted. To facilitate the described preventive measures, before removing the battery from the machine, it is worthwhile to provide a set of chemicals, oils and wipes.
Caring for a removed battery
In general terms, the primary measures for servicing the seized battery are noted. However, if you plan to continue using it, then serious care of the device may be required. And yet, before you remove the battery, you must keep in mind the possibility of its further use.
First, the block should be rid of smudges of sodium carbonate. The grooves of the battery into which the plugs are twisted should also be inspected. Ventilation openings are also cleaned. The gas outlet channels are integrated into a complex of colored plugs, they should also be checked. Timely simple measures to care for the battery will be the key to the correct and long-term operation of the car, as well as minimize the need for regular battery removal and replacement.
How to install the battery?
Having figured out how to remove the battery, you can proceed to the description of its installation. This procedure is outwardly simple, but also requires knowledge of the nuances. In this case, the role of preparation is great - that is, in what state the battery is installed. Two indicators are important - the fullness of the block with electrolyte and its density. The second can be checked only after 3 hours after pouring. If the density is insufficient, the device needs to be recharged.
Directly connecting the terminals is carried out in the opposite order to the dismantling procedure - you must start with red. Next, bolts and other clamps with fasteners are fixed. Having mastered the procedure of how to remove the battery, you can easily perform this part of the event to replace the power source. In addition, if possible, it will not be superfluous to use lithium grease, which will prevent oxidative processes in the contacts.
Optimal location
If the battery is located close to the exhaust manifold, then in the summer it is recommended to isolate it with a metal plate. In winter, it is desirable to ensure the direction of radiator thermal energy to the battery, which will prolong the operation of the latter.
