When you are going to replace the battery of your car, there are few precautions that need to be followed as the car battery replacement procedure is quite difficult. Further, you would end up getting your self pretty dirty.

Additional care must be taken in car battery replacement as you would be dealing with large amount of current. You would need to avoid any type of contact of battery circuits with moisture in any form as that could be lethal. You must turn the engine off so as to prevent your self from the electricity passing through the engine. So as to prevent any one else from starting the engine, do take out the keys from the car.

Further, a car battery needs to be safely disposed off. If the facility of recycling is available nearby, you must go for it as it would prevent doing harm to the environment. Otherwise, there are chances that harmful chemicals from the battery spill out in the soil which may pollute the ground water. Moreover, the fumes from the toxic chemicals can mix with the air around you and can cause serious trouble.

There are few steps in the car battery replacement procedure which need to be followed with enough care for preventing any type of injury:

1. The ignition must be turned off and you need to keep the keys with you in order to prevent someone from turning on.
2. You must ensure that the bonnet is fixed properly and it may not fall when you are operating.
3. The wires of the old battery need to be removed properly and the new battery must be placed exactly in the same way as the older one.
4. After you have placed the new battery, you would need to connect the power cables back and test it.

The following are some optional and necessary items for replacing your car’s battery:

• Replacement Battery Pack - Necessary
• Socket Sets (8mm to 13 mm sizes) - Necessary
• Or Adjustable Wrench - Necessary
• Safety Goggles – Optional
• Flat Blade Screwdriver – Optional
• PIN Memory Keeper – Optional
• Rubber Gloves – Optional
• Wire Brush – optional

You can visit your local auto stores to search for batteries. Most of the time, they will help you dispose your old battery without charge or for a minimal fee.

Before performing the car battery replacement process, you must ensure that the car’s ignition is secured and turned off. Use the pin memory keeper to ensure that pin numbers that may be removed due to the battery replacement will be saved. If you are uncertain where you can find the battery in your vehicle, it’s best to check and read your owner’s manual.

Once you have the battery, you will discover two terminals (positive and negative) with heavy cables fastened on top or on the sides of it. You should take out the positive terminal initially and then remove the cable from the negative terminal. If one of these cables is stuck, you can use the flat blade screw driver to unfasten it. Remove the old battery by loosening it from its frame.

Examine the platform where the battery was placed as well as the ends of the cable. A mixture of baking soda and water can be used to eliminate corrosion build up. Place the new battery and ensure that the terminals are in the same place as the old one. Don’t affix a cable to the wrong terminal and check if the battery is attached securely. You can then replace the cables by starting with the positive terminal followed by the negative terminal. If the old battery has resulted to a lot of corrosion build up on the terminals, you should apply some battery grease on them to slowdown or eliminate further damage to the terminals.

After your car battery replacement undertaking is done, you must ensure that your old car battery will be recycled. You can bring it to the auto store where you bought the new battery or send it to certified recycling centers. Never throw an old battery in the trash.