Replacing a Car Battery

About 18 months ago, a mechanic informed me that it was time for a new battery on our 2009 CRV. I started researching where to get this work done and the pricing seemed to hover around $150 including parts and labor. I wasn’t really excited about any of my options and remembered seeing car batteries for sale at Costco, so I decided to do the work myself.

2014 Subaru Battery

Online Video Tutorials

There are great tutorials online to walk you through changing your car battery. I liked the ones on Car Care Kiosk the best and you can find the CRV one I used here. Car Care Kiosk separates each step into a separate video, but groups them together on one page. So you can watch the video, complete the step, and easily move onto the next video.

Equipment and Supplies

In terms of equipment, I gathered gloves and safety goggles for protection, baking soda (for any corrosion), a terminal brush from AutoZone, a wrench, and petroleum jelly. I didn’t wind up using the terminal brush because it’s for if your cables are corroded, which mine were not. I got the battery at Costco, which they actually sell in the main store and not the tire store, at least at our location. There is a handy book attached to the shelf of batteries, and you simply look up your vehicle’s make, model, and year to find the battery part number.

Getting It Done

After I procured all my supplies, I got to work. I wore long sleeves and jeans for protection. Then I watched the video step-by-step and was done before I knew it. I didn’t use a battery tender as a temporary energy supply while I changed out the battery, and did have to input my security code for the radio, which I had stored with my owner’s manual. The hardest part was getting a grip on the battery and lifting it out of the car because it is quite heavy. Make sure you dispose of the battery properly … in our town, we have a hazardous materials drop-off location.

In Closing

Everything went smoothly because the car did start up when I tested it. A couple of months after the CRV needed a new battery, it was the Subaru’s turn. I went back to Car Care Kiosk for the correct video, which you can find here. All in all, it’s a simple process and worthwhile to do yourself. I saved at least $75 on each car and it feels good to be able to do these tasks yourself, if you have the time and inclination.