For help with changing your battery give our Service Team a call to schedule an appointment, or if visiting Bill Alexander Service Department does not fit your busy schedule, then complete the online Service Appointment Form.

Pull your gear together - an adjustable wrench, a couple of clean lint-free rags, a pair of disposable latex gloves, some water and baking soda, a battery brush, and an inexpensive pair of safety goggles - and then follow these steps:

  • Turn off your engine.
  • Make sure that your vehicle is in Park, with the engine shut off and the parking brake on.
  • Open the hood and place a blanket or pad over the fender.
  • This protects your car from corrosive battery acid.
  • Remove the cables from the battery terminals.
  • Look in your owner's manual to see whether your vehicle has negative ground (most do). If it does, use an adjustable wrench to first loosen the nut and bolt on the clamp that holds the battery cable on the negative terminal. (That's the post with the little "-" or "NEG" on it.) If your vehicle has positive ground, loosen the cable with "+" or "POS" on it first. Remove the cable from the post and lay it out of your way. Then remove the other cable from its post and lay that aside.
  • If you have trouble loosening the bolt, grab it with one wrench and the nut with another, and move the wrenches in opposite directions. In this case, you don't want to remove the bolts; just loosen them enough to release the cable clamps.
  • Remove whatever devices are holding the battery in place.
  • When you're removing a bolt or screw, after you've loosened it with a tool, turn it the last few turns by hand so that you have a firm grip on it when it comes loose and it doesn't drop and roll into obscurity.
  • Remove the battery.
  • When the battery is free, lift it out of its seat and place it out of your way.
  • If the tray on which the battery was standing is rusty or has deposits on it, clean it with a little baking soda dissolved in water.
  • Wear your gloves because the battery stuff is corrosive, and be sure the battery tray is completely dry before taking the next step!
  • Place the new battery on the tray.
  • Make sure it is facing in the same direction as the old one was.
  • Replace the devices that held the old battery in place.
  • Try to wiggle the battery to make sure it's completely secure.
  • Replace the battery cables on the terminals in reverse order from which you removed them.
  • If your vehicle has negative ground, the positive cable goes back first. Make certain that the clamps holding the cables on the battery terminals are gripping the posts tightly.
  • Take the old battery to a recycling center that accepts batteries.

Batteries are filled with a toxic, corrosive liquid and must be disposed of properly. Please Contact the Service Department to schedule an appointment to properly dispose of your battery.