Some things last the lifetime of your car, and other components have to periodically replacedMost of us will be faced with a bad or dead battery sooner or laterIf you have some evidence that your battery is starting to go bad, then the best bet is to take it to your mechanic for testing and perhaps replacementHowever, if it is dead in the water, then you can follow some simple steps and replace it yourself.

Here are some required and optional items you need.

• Replacement Battery - required
• Adjustable Wrench - required
• or socket sets (8mm to 13mm sizes)
• Flat Blade Screwdriver - suggested
• Safety Goggles - suggested
• Rubber Gloves - suggested
• PIN Memory Keeper - optional
• Wire Brush - optional

Most auto stores carry a wide variety of batteries, and as a rule will dispose of your old battery for a minimum or no chargeYou can remove your old battery first and take it to the store, or you can purchase a new battery, and leave a depositThen you replace your old one and bring it back to the store and receive your deposit back.

Here are some of the major steps in replacing the battery.

1Make sure the car's ignition is turned off.

2Some devices in your car might lose their PIN numbers when the battery is removedEither insure you have the codes or use a PIN memory keeper in the cigarette lighter socket.

3Find the batteryThis sounds a little silly, but many cars do not have the battery in the engine compartmentSome cars like Jaguar have a battery in the trunkOthers may have it tucked in a fender well, or under the rear seatsIf you have a diesel engine, you may also have two batteriesIf there is any confusion, check your owner's manual.

4You will find two terminals on your battery with heavy cables attached to themThey may be on the top of the battery or on the sidesOne is the positive terminal and the other is the negative terminalYou want to remove the Positive terminal firstWarningDo not let anything touch both terminals at the same timeThe positive terminal may be identified by having a + (Plus sign) on the top, being painted red, or looking just a little bit thicker than the negative terminalThe negative terminal may have a - (Minus sign) on its top.

5Remove the cable from the Negative Terminal firstIf it is stuck, you may have to use the flat blade screw driver to pry up the cableThen remove the cable from the Positive TerminalThis is the safest sequence to followWhen you connect the new battery, you will connect the Negative Terminal first and then the Positive Terminal.

6Loosen and remove the battery hold downThis may be a frame around the top of the battery, or an arm that goes from the battery top to the plate that the battery sits onSometimes it is secured by one or two nuts.

7Remove the old batteryRemember that batteries are heavy, and they may be placed in a location that is very hard to reachDon't take a chance on dropping the battery, as it is filled with a sulfuric acid electrolyte solution which can burn your skinNewer batteries have a built in strapIf you can't safely grab the battery, buy a battery strap, which attaches to the terminals and helps you lift the battery out.

8Now check the ends of the cables and the tray or platform the battery sat onIf there is corrosion or a white build up, use a solution of water and baking soda with a wire brush and clean them all up.

9Put in the new battery making sure the terminals are in the same position as the old batteryYou don't want to connect a cable to the wrong terminalReplace all of the hold down parts and insure that the battery is securely fastened.

10Now replace the cablesRemember to start with the Positive Terminal firstThen attach the Negative TerminalIf the old battery had a lot of corrosion on the terminals you might want to put some battery lithium grease on the connectionsYou can also purchase some cloth like rings which go over each terminalEither approach will slow down the corrosion buildup.

11Your old battery must be recycledYou can bring it back to the store where you purchased the new battery and get your deposit back, or take it to an authorized recycling centerDo not throw it in the trash.

12Close the hood, start your car, and put in any necessary PINs, if you did not use a PIN keeper.