3 Steps to Replacing a Car Battery
- There are many reasons for a car battery failing or dying.
- Replacing a dead battery won't take up much of your time.
- Not many tools are needed to complete the process.
A typical car battery is designed to last anywhere between 2 to 6 years. So if you have a car that's more than 2 years old, the possibility of it dying on you unexpectedly becomes all too real. And you wouldn´t know about it until the day your car fails to start when you turn on the ignition. At such a point, you can start out by cleaning its terminals and cable connectors to ensure good contact. If that doesn't work, try jump-starting the battery. If jump-starting doesn't work, the problem could be with your starter, alternator or another component of the electrical system. If these components are also working well, only then will come the time to replace your car battery.
Photo Credit: cdn.pixabay.com
Common reasons for battery failure
Photo Credit: cdn.pixabay.com
Before looking at the 3 steps to replacing a car battery, just have a look at some of the most common reasons for your battery failing.
1. High temperatures: Heat is the main reason why grid corrosion gets accelerated and this leads to grid growth in the positive plate. When this heat corrodes the positive grid, the battery loses capacity and starting power.
2. Faulty alternator: Another common reason for battery failure is having a faulty alternator, which undercharges the battery.
3. Vibration: Too much vibration of the vehicle can cause the components inside a battery to move, leading to reduced performance and eventually, failure.
Steps to replacing a car battery
- Remove the battery from its slot: As you may know, the battery is located under the hood of your car. To remove it, you will first need to clean the top of the old battery. The residue can be removed easily by using a mixture of baking soda and water. Once that's done, you will need to disconnect the battery bolts holding the negative and positive clam. With that done, you can now move ahead with disconnecting the battery from its tray and removing it out of the hood.
- Install the new battery: Before you buy a new battery, you will need to ensure that it's of the same size as the one being replaced. You must also consult about its compatibility with your car. Once that's sorted and you've purchased your new battery, it's now time to install it. You can start by placing it on the battery tray and connecting the positive and negative terminals. You can now enter the car and start the engine. If it works perfectly, go ahead and secure the battery in the terminal and close the hood.
- Dispose of the old battery: Do note that old batteries are an environmental hazard if they are not disposed of properly. You can do the right thing by dropping them off at recycling centres. You can search on Google for ones that are present in and around the location you stay at.
As you can see, replacing the battery is a pretty simple job that doesn't involve many tools. Just make sure to have the right-sized crescent wrench with you for removing the connections.
Related News
Latest Cars
Upcoming Cars
Latest News
Seshan Vijayraghvan | Feb 4, 2026Skoda Kylaq Crosses 50,000 Units Sales MilestoneThe Kylaq has been the brand’s best-selling car, which has led to Skoda Auto India’s best-ever sales performance in 2025.1 min read
Seshan Vijayraghvan | Feb 4, 2026Volkswagen Tayron R-Line’s Pre-Bookings Open For Rs. 51,000Customers can pre-book the SUV for a token of Rs. 51,000; however, the price announcement will take place sometime later in February 2026.1 min read
car&bike Team | Feb 4, 2026Audi India Adds ‘My Auras’ In-Car Experience ModesAvailable for select models, the feature syncs the mood lighting, music, air conditioning, seat heating/ventilation and massage functions based on the selected mode.1 min read
car&bike Team | Feb 4, 2026Suzuki Access ABS Launched At Rs. 92,328The Suzuki Access ABS is now the most-affordable two-wheeler with single-channel ABS on sale in India.2 mins read
car&bike Team | Feb 4, 2026Nissan Gravite MPV India Debut On February 17Set to be underpinned by Renault-Nissan’s CMF-A platform, the Gravite will share its underpinnings with the Renault Triber.1 min read
car&bike Team | Feb 3, 2026China Mandates Fitting of Mechanical Door Handles On New Cars From 2027Vehicles already on sale to be given an additional 2 years to conform to the new norms.2 mins read
Bilal Firfiray | Feb 4, 2026Volkswagen Tayron R-Line Review: Sensible Flagship For IndiaVolkswagen has introduced a made-in-India flagship SUV that offers space, comfort, performance, and German driving finesse in a practical three-row package. But is the Tayron R-Line good enough?6 mins read
Preetam Bora | Feb 2, 2026TVS NTorq 150 Road Test Review: Bigger, Better & More Efficient!We test the new TVS NTorq 150 out in the real world to get a sense of what it offers in terms of performance, dynamics and fuel economy.7 mins read
Bilal Firfiray | Jan 21, 2026Tata Punch Facelift Review: New Turbo Engine; Same Old SoulWith the update, the Tata Punch facelift retains its character of being a healthy runabout, which is perfect for Indian roads. But have these changes made it any better?7 mins read
Amaan Ahmed | Jan 17, 2026Bajaj Chetak C25 First Ride Review: Basic, Likeable E-Scooter For First-Time RidersThe Chetak C25, in quite a few ways, is poles apart from the larger and more powerful 30 and 35 Series models, but in its mannerisms, it is very much a Chetak.8 mins read
Bilal Firfiray | Jan 9, 2026Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder: 10,000 km Long-Term ReviewAfter spending over three months and 10,000 km with the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder Hybrid, we were impressed by its real-world mileage, seamless hybrid, practical comfort, and Toyota reliability. Is it the best C-SUV then?5 mins read