How to Remove a Car Battery in Yakima

Your vehicle’s battery serves an important role in its everyday operation. In fact, the battery not only provides the electrical energy required to ignite the spark plugs and start the vehicle, but it also helps to keep the car running and power all accessory components like the power windows, door locks, radio, and more. So, when it comes time to replace a car battery, you want to make sure that you’re doing it right. Our guide on removing a car battery can help! Of course, so can we if you give us a call at (509) 902-3316 or contact a service technician online! Meanwhile, read on to learn more about how to remove a car battery in Yakima.

Preparation for Removing a Car Battery

While it’s probably no secret, car batteries hold enough amperage to seriously injure or electrocute someone. While the voltage levels of typical batteries make it so that you may be okay even if you touch battery terminals, you should never touch a car battery terminal without insulated work gloves on. It’s also a good idea to wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from corrosive battery agents. You should also always turn off your car before attempting to remove the battery as the largest risk posed by a car battery is explosion.

Keeping all of the above still in mind, it’s also a good idea to do the following:

• Keep the battery cables in their proper place with zip ties. If they touch, it can create deadly explosion-inducing sparks.
• Cover the positive battery cable end with a cloth once it is removed to avoid the risk of metal-to-metal contact.
• Take off any jewelry or metal — including necklaces, watches, and bracelets — to prevent getting electrocuted.
• Stay in a well-ventilated area to protect yourself from outgassing from the flammable and dangerous liquid compounds used in your car battery.

Here’s How to Remove a Car Battery Step-By-Step

Once you’ve properly prepared, follow these steps to safely remove your battery:

• Find the negative battery terminal. It should have a black plastic cover and/or a minus sign.
• Locate the bolt head of the negative terminal and, with a wrench or pliers, hold it steady.
• Use another set of pliers or a wrench to remove the nut.
• Pull off the negative cable and place it safely away from the battery.
• Repeat the above steps for the positive cable, being careful to ensure that the two battery cables do not touch!
• If the battery is held by a securing bracket, use your pliers or wrench to take out the screws and bolts that hold it in place.
• Lift the battery straight out of the bracket. Remember, it may be heavy.

Does the above procedure seem too time-consuming or dangerous to attempt to execute on your own? Our Honda service center is more than happy to remove your battery for you and replace it with the correct choice, quickly and safely!

How Many Volts is a Car Battery?

A fully charged car battery should measure at about 12.6 volts or higher. When the engine is running, this should bump up to 13.7 to 14.7 volts.

Looking to test out your car battery to see how much charge it’s holding and see if it needs to be replaced? Here’s what to do:

• Start your car and turn on your headlights.
• If the lights are dim, they may be running on your battery.
• If the lights get brighter when you rev the engine, the alternator may be producing some current, but not enough when idle to keep the battery charged.
• If the lights have a normal level of brightness, even when you rev the engine, your battery is likely working normally.

Learn More About Removing a Car Battery With Harvest Honda Yakima

Looking for more information on how to safely remove a car battery? We can help! Give us a call at (509) 902-3316 for additional information. Then, whenever you’re ready, visit our Honda service center in Yakima for a free battery check or better yet, have your battery replaced by our expert technicians. We can’t wait to get your car back up and running in no time! While you’re at it, check out our service specials to save more on your next battery service appointment.