How To Change The Battery In A 2007 Nissan Maxima

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If your car is having difficulty starting, or y'all detect that it starts fine sometimes but intermittently won't turn over, yous may have an issue with your bombardment cables. Battery cables acquit electrical current from your auto'southward battery to the starter and and then into the car'south electrical system. This allows your motorcar to run electric devices like your radio with the car off, and provides your car's starter with the energy information technology needs to go your engine to turn over. Compromised bombardment cables tin reduce the current traveling into the starter or may not let electricity to pass through them at all, making information technology so your automobile won't start or won't continue running in one case it has. Replacing your car's battery cables is an inexpensive outset step to troubleshooting an electrical issue with your car, and may even solve your problems.

1
Put on safety spectacles and gloves. It'south important to wear the advisable protective equipment any time y'all work on a car or truck. Car batteries contain a mixture of sulphuric acrid and h2o that could cause serious harm if information technology gets into your eyes.^[i]
- Batteries can rupture if hooked up incorrectly, which could result in the water/acid mixture from the bombardment getting into your optics.
- Wearing latex gloves tin can make it much easier to clean up later on you're done working on the car, but may not exist necessary for this job.
ii
Ensure the car is turned off. It'due south of import that you make sure the automobile is in park and turned off before beginning the process of replacing your battery cables. You volition be working with the auto's electrical system, and so leaving it running could increment the likelihood of y'all receiving an electrical daze and could peradventure do harm to the vehicle.^[2]
- Remove the keys from the ignition to make sure no one can accidentally try to start it while you're working under the hood.
- If your auto is a standard, make certain the parking brake is engaged instead of having the car in park.
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3
Locate the bombardment. Dissimilar automakers place the batteries in their cars in different locations for a number of reasons. Most machine batteries can exist located near the front or nose of the car on the left or right. It looks like a large, unremarkably black box with two metallic terminals sticking out of the top, each with cables attached. Make sure the hood struts can support the weight of the hood before you release it, otherwise information technology could autumn and hurt yous. If y'all cannot locate the battery under the hood of the car, it may be in the trunk.^[3]
- Some automakers place the battery in the trunk to improve weight distribution or save infinite.
- If y'all cannot locate your battery, refer to your owner'southward manual. It will evidence you how to locate and admission your bombardment.
iv
Determine which is the positive and which is the negative terminal. One time y'all have located the bombardment, you will need to differentiate between the positive and negative terminals. Automobile battery cables are usually colored to match their use: red cables are positive, black cables are negative. In some cases, the wires may both be black, only they will accept red and black boxes or accents at the ends of the cable.^[4]
- If there are no discernible colors visible, you can hands decide which is the negative cablevision past post-obit them from the battery to the other end. Negative cables commodities direct to the body of the auto or engine cake, positive cables attach to the starter.
- The battery will have labels marked with a + and a – sign. The plus is the positive cable terminal, the – is the negative.
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1
Remove boxes or tape covering the end of the cable. You will often find other wires attached to a bombardment cable using electric tape (especially on the positive side). Sometimes these wires are held in identify more securely using metal or plastic retainers. Do not remove these wires, merely cut off any tape that prevents you lot from reaching the bolt that keeps the cablevision secured to the last.^[5]
- If the cease of the cable is housed in a plastic box indicating if information technology is positive or negative, you tin open the box by squeezing the two clips on either side of it.
- Be conscientious non to cut any wires when trying to access the bolts.
2
Disconnect the negative cablevision. The negative cablevision, which is likewise called the footing cable, should be the get-go you disconnect. In one case y'all disconnect this cablevision, the auto volition no longer take a completed electrical circuit, and you may detect any dashboard, interior or engine bay lights that were on will instantly close off. This indicates that the battery is no longer connected to the car in a way that tin can power it.^[6]
- You will need to loosen the bolt that holds the cable in place, but you will not need to remove it.
- If the commodities is seized or will not plow, try spraying some WD-40 on it. It will eat abroad some of the rust and oxidization and permit the bolt to turn more than freely.
- Do not allow the negative cable to come up into contact with the positive terminal at whatever time.
iii
Disconnect the positive cable. Because the negative cable is the ane most often disconnected while working under the hood of a motorcar, the positive one may by slightly more difficult to remove. One time the positive cablevision is asunder from the battery, the battery will be completely disconnected and may be removed.^[7]
- Set the cease of the cable aside so that it tin't fall back into identify and make contact with either bombardment terminal.
- If your battery is in the body, the positive cable volition attach to another connector virtually the trunk of the car. Simply disconnect it from there.
4
Remove the bombardment. Some cars will not require the removal of the battery while replacing battery cables, but even if it is not necessary, information technology may make the process easier. Removing the battery can gratis up room to piece of work and removes whatever possibility of the cables coming dorsum into contact with their terminals and shocking you.^[8]
- Many cars have a bracket that holds the battery in place. Removing this bracket usually requires unscrewing two bolts.
- Make sure to set the bombardment upright after removing it from the car.
v
Remove the negative cablevision, then the positive. Start by post-obit the negative cable from the now loose end back to where it is bolted to the engine block or body of the car. Take notation of how it is routed and so you tin follow the same path with the new cable. One time you locate the other terminate, use a wrench to remove the bolt that holds the negative cable in place. And so repeat the process for the positive cable, which will exist attached to the starter on the other cease.^[9]
- Be sure the car is not hot while doing this or yous may burn yourself.
- Information technology's important you remember the mode the cables are routed through the engine bay to ensure they don't interfere with any moving parts when y'all supercede them.
6
Compare the new and onetime cables. With both the positive and negative cables removed, compare them to your replacement cables. If you purchased cables specific to your car, they should match in length and have the same last connectors at each end. If they don't you will need to render them for the proper cables. If you are using universal cables that you cut to length, utilise the old cables every bit your guide.^[ten]
- If the new cables are slightly longer than the one-time, that probable won't exist an outcome, only shorter cables will not piece of work.
- Make sure the connecting ends at either side of the new cables lucifer the old ones for piece of cake installation.
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1
Set the new cables for installation. If there were plastic protective boxes on the old cable's ends, remove them from the old cables and identify them on the new ones. You lot will likewise need to ensure that there is no paint or clay stuck on the new cable ends before you install them.^[eleven]
- The connections on either finish of the cable should be bare metal to permit electricity to pass through them.
- You tin can use a steel-toothed castor to clean off the connector ends of the cables in society to ensure a good electrical connection.
ii
Attach the positive cable to the starter. Apply the same bolt you removed to disconnect the former cable to attach the new one in its place. If the bolt is rusted, y'all may want to apply a steel wire brush to remove the rust from the bolt and ensure a proper connectedness. If information technology is too rusted, you lot may need to replace it.^[12]
- Brand sure the bolt is expert and tight so information technology can't vibrate loose every bit the automobile runs.
- Run the new positive cable back through the engine bay in the same way the old one was.
3
Adhere the negative cable to the trunk or block. Locate the pigsty the old negative cablevision was attached to and utilise the same commodities to connect the new cable. One time over again, ensure the commodities is in proficient plenty condition to concord the cable in identify and permit electricity to pass through the cablevision.^[13]
- Run the new negative cable back through the engine bay in the same route the quondam ane took.
- Apply a flashlight to ensure neither cablevision is coming into contact with whatsoever belts. Belts spin at high speeds under the engine bay and can harm battery cables.
iv
Identify the battery back in the motorcar. With both new cables in identify, it's time to place the battery back into the car. Make sure not to allow the new cables come up into contact with the battery terminals every bit yous return information technology, as that could outcome in y'all receiving a stupor. If the terminals on the battery announced to exist oxidized or rusted, utilize a steel tooth castor to make clean off the connection area before you lot place the battery back into the car.^[14]
- Commodities the bracket that holds the battery back into identify to secure the battery.
- Be certain y'all placed the battery back in the same way information technology was before you lot took it out, and then the positive terminal is closer to the positive cable, and the negative concluding is closer to the negative cable.
5
Connect the positive battery cable to the battery. You may desire to purchase a corrosion inhibitor that you tin put on the bombardment terminal prior to connecting the new cable. This can help ensure the connection from the bombardment is potent and doesn't become limited as corrosion builds upward in your engine bay. Squeeze the inhibitor onto the terminal, and then slide the new positive cable connection over information technology.^[15]
- Tighten the cable by turning the bolt you loosened to remove the old one.
- Make certain the cable is connected firmly. It if jostles loose while you are driving the motorcar volition turn off.
6
Connect the negative cable. Remember that connecting the negative battery cable will complete the car's circuit and reestablish power to the vehicle. Exist certain all other connections are tight earlier completing this step. You lot may likewise desire to apply the corrosion inhibitor on the negative terminal. Once the negative cable is continued, the car can exist started again.^[16]
- Be careful when touching the negative cable to the last and it may produce some sparks.
- Tighten the cable downward deeply and so you can be sure information technology won't jiggle loose.
7
Start the car. Make sure you attached the cable properly past starting the motorcar. If the automobile fails to turn over, i of the cables may not be properly fastened and the electricity is not reaching the starter. If the automobile attempts to turn over simply can't quite start, your battery may not take plenty charge. If the motorcar fails to kickoff, recheck where the cables are continued on both ends.^[17]
- If the cables are installed properly and secured, remove the battery again and take it to your local machine parts store. They can test and charge the bombardment to ensure it's nonetheless skilful.
- If the cables were loose at all, tighten them and try again.
- If the auto starts fine, you're all done!
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Things You'll Need

Socket wrench
Battery cables
Steel bristled brush (optional)
Corrosion inhibitor (optional)

About This Commodity

Article Summary X

Earlier you modify your motorcar'due south battery cables, put on safety glasses and gloves to protect yourself from the acid in the battery. Next, disconnect the black cable, then the red cable, and remove the bombardment from the vehicle. After that, detach the other ends of the cables from the engine block in the same guild. Then, install new cables past attaching the red cablevision to the starter and the black cable to the engine block before putting the battery back in. Finally, connect both cables to the bombardment before starting the motorcar to make certain that it works. For tips on how to handle rusted bolts or bolts that are hard to loosen, keep reading!

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