On modern cars, is their any special requirement when changing a battery? I seem to rememebr my old Jazz, circa 2008, needed to have its batrery changed and they insisted (due to the transmission) it was done by them...... MY Fiestas battery has just died, any info?

undo clamp and terminals and lift out. reverse procedure for instal.

what was special about the battery swap on an old Jazz ?

It had the "tiptronic" style transmission, I thought it was a scam myself - but they offered the battery at 50% discount, free lift to work & no fitting charge - this was in Aus. They where very sure it had to be done by the Honda mechs though

No idea if it is the same knower days with some rides but years ago when all this computer stuff first came to be used in cars that if you removed the battery the radio, or something, had to be reprogrammed. My Vigo has no problems except the one touch drivers window will not work until it has been used for a few minutes, this happens after every battery recharge. I always take the leads off the battery when charging.

Your handbook WILL advise on battery change or charge.

Not sure about Fiesta new but older ones you just change em.

My wife's Yaris when changing a battery has at best to have continued battery supply when fitting a new one, if not the ECU mapping has to be checked.

Actually it's not that difficult to maintain the circuit with a couple of extra wires and crocodile clips ... needs a bit of care though. Make sure that the tops are on the batteries and area well ventilated ... just in case .... could save you quite a bit of resetting.

Honda now give you a Battery Printout...from a Midtronics MDX-P300 analizer. Nice idea. Comprises of Battery Test. Starter Test and Charging Test.7 readings in all.so you are more than clear about things.

I my Opel Astra the power windows switch back to manual mode after a battery disconnect. This means, the windows just move as long as you push the button. To re-enable the auto-running (push a second and release, will run to the end), you have to switch off ignition, push the buttons of the windows to close, switch on ignition and after two seconds release the buttons. Kind of Ctrl-Alt-Del for the windows (of the car )

Contact the dealer.

Disconnecting the battery on some cars "may" generate a fault code in the engine management system preventing the engine from starting.

On certain Volvos disconnecting the battery requires a vist from the dealer to reset the fault code so that the engine will start. The radio code needs to be reinstalled and the keyless entry has to be reprogramed.

If in doubt, just leave it running while you change it. You do have to be careful about shorts.

The way it's done in most garages without losing power to the vehicle's

electrical system is to connect an additional auxiliary battery with jump leads

to your faulty battery.(as if you were to jump start it).

Then while keeping the jump leads connected to the cars battery cables,

remove the faulty battery from the vehicle, then replace with new battery,

When the cables are fitted on to the new battery terminals, then remove the

jump leads from the auxiliary battery.

The way it's done in most garages without losing power to the vehicle's

electrical system is to connect an additional auxiliary battery with jump leads

to your faulty battery.(as if you were to jump start it).

Then while keeping the jump leads connected to the cars battery cables,

remove the faulty battery from the vehicle, then replace with new battery,

When the cables are fitted on to the new battery terminals, then remove the

jump leads from the auxiliary battery.

That is why a main agent perhaps needs to do the change with nooooooooooooooooo problems.......

If in doubt, just leave it running while you change it. You do have to be careful about shorts.

Although some cars will continue to run with the battery disconnected most modern cars will

shut down.

It will also put at risk all the electronic circuitry in the vehicle's electrical system and could blow

the diodes in the alternator.

Never allow anyone to disconnect the battery when the engine is running as it could lead to a very expensive repair bill.

If in doubt, just leave it running while you change it. You do have to be careful about shorts.

Although some cars will continue to run with the battery disconnected most modern cars will

shut down.

It will also put at risk all the electronic circuitry in the vehicle's electrical system and could blow

the diodes in the alternator.

Never allow anyone to disconnect the battery when the engine is running as it could lead to a very expensive repair bill.

Never heard of that before, I suppose the battery acts as a resistor.

If in doubt, just leave it running while you change it. You do have to be careful about shorts.

Although some cars will continue to run with the battery disconnected most modern cars will

shut down.

It will also put at risk all the electronic circuitry in the vehicle's electrical system and could blow

the diodes in the alternator.

Never allow anyone to disconnect the battery when the engine is running as it could lead to a very expensive repair bill.

I can't speak to modern cars, but it works fine with my year old Isuzu.

If in doubt, just leave it running while you change it. You do have to be careful about shorts.

Although some cars will continue to run with the battery disconnected most modern cars will

shut down.

It will also put at risk all the electronic circuitry in the vehicle's electrical system and could blow

the diodes in the alternator.

Never allow anyone to disconnect the battery when the engine is running as it could lead to a very expensive repair bill.

Why..?

I think that goes back to Dynamo/Magneto era.The Rectifiers burnt out on early Mercury Outboard 6Cyl if you did.Today they run on the Alternator after fired up..The Battery will get red hot if you do a long run on a deadish battery.

The Battery will get red hot...

Wouldn't it melt first?

Nah, first you get an awfull pong. early V12 Jags just burst into flames so a New Car n Battery was needed.

If in doubt, just leave it running while you change it. You do have to be careful about shorts.

Although some cars will continue to run with the battery disconnected most modern cars will

shut down.

It will also put at risk all the electronic circuitry in the vehicle's electrical system and could blow

the diodes in the alternator.

Never allow anyone to disconnect the battery when the engine is running as it could lead to a very expensive repair bill.

Why..?

The voltage output of a car's electrical system is designed to work at 12.8V - 14.2V

when the engine is running. This is controlled by the alternator regulator, the battery

acts like a capacitor, and depending on it's state of charge and electrical load, will

determine how much voltage the alternator will provide to the electrical system.

When the battery is removed from the system, the alternator will push out it's maximum

capable voltage which could rise well over the 14.2V and cause high voltage spikes to all

the electronic circuitry in the vehicle which are designed to not sustain, hence blowing the

semi conductors that are in these circuits.

The high voltage could also blow the regulator and diode pack in the alternator too.

Ermmm do you have a link to this info?? Just kidding, but I was chided for not having links to my personal, practical experience by another member/troll on this forum a few days back.. No link, it's all BS he said, or something to that effect ..

Have a read ... http://randysrepairshop.net/do-it-yourselfers.html

You can use one of these?

Use an alkaline 9v battery. Don't know where from though.

My Wifes strange. She Goes to Honda and they put one on, if the old ones no Good.Very Strange a Thai can have no probs.

If in doubt, just leave it running while you change it. You do have to be careful about shorts.

Although some cars will continue to run with the battery disconnected most modern cars will

shut down.

It will also put at risk all the electronic circuitry in the vehicle's electrical system and could blow

the diodes in the alternator.

Never allow anyone to disconnect the battery when the engine is running as it could lead to a very expensive repair bill.

Why..?

The voltage output of a car's electrical system is designed to work at 12.8V - 14.2V

when the engine is running. This is controlled by the alternator regulator, the battery

acts like a capacitor, and depending on it's state of charge and electrical load, will

determine how much voltage the alternator will provide to the electrical system.

When the battery is removed from the system, the alternator will push out it's maximum

capable voltage which could rise well over the 14.2V and cause high voltage spikes to all

the electronic circuitry in the vehicle which are designed to not sustain, hence blowing the

semi conductors that are in these circuits.

The high voltage could also blow the regulator and diode pack in the alternator too.

I don't have a personal opinion on the subject but i will tell you what I was told.

I went to Walmart to change the battery on my 18 year old daughter's 2010 Honda Civic

The wait was a couple of Hrs and we did not want to wait so I told my daughter we will take the Battery and change it at home. I had done it many times before when I was younger , and thought "no problem".

went home, changed her battery, car worked fine but her radio did not work.

To an 18 year old, a car with out a radio is a broken car

The radio needed a code to restart, I guess it is a radio anti theft system.

Called the dealer where i bought the car for my daughter, they would not give me the code until I went there personally and provided proof of ownership, I guess it makes sense.

Anyway, when I went there , they told me that I should had let the car run. while changing the battery, that way, I would not need a code, or loose all the presets.

I don't have a personal opinion on the subject but i will tell you what I was told.

I went to Walmart to change the battery on my 18 year old daughter's 2010 Honda Civic

The wait was a couple of Hrs and we did not want to wait so I told my daughter we will take the Battery and change it at home. I had done it many times before when I was younger , and thought "no problem".

went home, changed her battery, car worked fine but her radio did not work.

To an 18 year old, a car with out a radio is a broken car

The radio needed a code to restart, I guess it is a radio anti theft system.

Called the dealer where i bought the car for my daughter, they would not give me the code until I went there personally and provided proof of ownership, I guess it makes sense.

Anyway, when I went there , they told me that I should had let the car run. while changing the battery, that way, I would not need a code, or loose all the presets.

The fools! You should direct the Honda dealer to Randy's website.

I don't have a personal opinion on the subject but i will tell you what I was told.

I went to Walmart to change the battery on my 18 year old daughter's 2010 Honda Civic

The wait was a couple of Hrs and we did not want to wait so I told my daughter we will take the Battery and change it at home. I had done it many times before when I was younger , and thought "no problem".

went home, changed her battery, car worked fine but her radio did not work.

To an 18 year old, a car with out a radio is a broken car

The radio needed a code to restart, I guess it is a radio anti theft system.

Called the dealer where i bought the car for my daughter, they would not give me the code until I went there personally and provided proof of ownership, I guess it makes sense.

Anyway, when I went there , they told me that I should had let the car run. while changing the battery, that way, I would not need a code, or loose all the presets.

The fools! You should direct the Honda dealer to Randy's website.

So then I guess if the battery stops charging because of a bad cell, in essence creating an open circuit , such as if you disconnected a battery lead,or any condition that would stop the battery from excepting a charge, this condition would damage your cars electronics?

This does not sound right to me,

At the very least it would be idiotic design on the part of the car manufacturers.

BTW FYI you don't need to go to the dealer of purchase if that's no longer convenient. Any dealership can give you the code, it's all on computer..

I don't have a personal opinion on the subject but i will tell you what I was told.

I went to Walmart to change the battery on my 18 year old daughter's 2010 Honda Civic

The wait was a couple of Hrs and we did not want to wait so I told my daughter we will take the Battery and change it at home. I had done it many times before when I was younger , and thought "no problem".

went home, changed her battery, car worked fine but her radio did not work.

To an 18 year old, a car with out a radio is a broken car

The radio needed a code to restart, I guess it is a radio anti theft system.

Called the dealer where i bought the car for my daughter, they would not give me the code until I went there personally and provided proof of ownership, I guess it makes sense.

Anyway, when I went there , they told me that I should had let the car run. while changing the battery, that way, I would not need a code, or loose all the presets.

The fools! You should direct the Honda dealer to Randy's website.

Some of you should actually read the Randy'sweb site ... this is useful ... copied from it ... To be safe, use a memory saver tool with a nine volt transistor battery to maintain the memories of the radio and computers when replacing the battery if you don't know if your vehicle has any of these hidden tricks built in.

^Neal showed that on the previous page..

Here's his pic.. If one can't find this it could be made relatively easily..