To hook up a car battery, put the new battery in the car, and hook up the positive and negative terminals. Make sure to refasten any kind of plate that held in the old battery. Dispose of the old battery at a battery recycling center.
- Place the battery
If the old battery is still in place, remove it. Place the new battery into its seat under the hood. Situate the battery so that it sits level in the compartment. Some new batteries are much heavier than older batteries, so be careful when lifting the new one.
- Attach the battery
Starting with the positive terminal, remove the red cap on the terminal, and apply terminal cleaner to it. This gives the clamps a better grip on the metal. Slide the end of the clamp over the terminal until it reaches the bottom. Tighten the nut clockwise on the clamp while holding the bolt steady. Repeat this process for the negative terminal.
- Finish up
Re-attach any fasteners or plates that held in the battery. Leaving the battery loose is a bad idea. Start your car to make sure the battery replacement was successful and that the dead battery was the source of the car trouble. Take the dead battery to a battery recycling center or back to the store that you purchased it from.
