How to Install Battery Cables

When a car won't start, you can usually blame the battery. A battery can have a few things wrong with it that won't allow it to keep a charge, or the connections to the battery can be faulty. Follow these steps to install new battery cables for a quality connection and to get your car back on the road.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Wrench set Pliers

Installing Battery Cables

1. Note your car model, year and make. Go to your local auto repair store and buy a positive and negative battery cable for your make of car.

2. Remove the red positive cable and black negative cable connectors from your battery with pliers and a wrench.

3. Follow the black cable to its other end. It will be connected to the frame of your car with one bolt. Use the proper size wrench to unscrew the bolt. Hold onto the bolt and remove the black negative battery cable. Follow the red cable to its other end. It will be connected to your car's starter. Use the proper size wrench to unscrew the bolt. Hold onto the bolt and remove the red positive battery cable.

4. Get the new red positive battery cable and screw the bolt through the flat eyelet end of the new cable onto the car's starter where the old cable used to be attached. Get the new black negative battery cable and screw the bolt through the flat eyelet end of the new cable onto the car's frame where the old cable used to be attached.

5. Reattach the new red positive battery cable to the positive post of the battery and tighten it with a wrench and pliers. Reattach the new black negative battery cable to the negative post of the battery and tighten it with a wrench and pliers.

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