The battery in your car supplies electrical power to the starter and electrical system until the engine is running and the alternator takes over. Over time, heat and vibration, along with the charging/discharging cycle of starting the engine, will cause the battery to fail. Symptoms of a weak or faulty battery include failure to start and failure to hold a charge. Replacement of the battery in a 2001 Neon is a project even the novice home mechanic can complete with basic hand tools.
Instructions
- 1
Open the hood and support it with the hood prop rod located along the front of the engine compartment near the radiator. Insert the hook end of the rod into the oblong shaped hole one passenger side of the underside of the hood.
2Turn the ignition key to the off position and wait a few minutes to allow the timed devices, like interior lights and stereo systems, to turn off. It is important to minimize the amount of electrical current flowing through the electrical system to prevent sparks when the battery cables are removed.
3Loosen the negative battery cable (marked with a "-" sign on the battery) using a 1/2-inch wrench. Spread the terminal slightly with a screwdriver and twist it as you pull the terminal from the negative battery post. Lay the terminal along the back of the battery to prevent unwanted contact with the battery post.
4Remove the positive terminal (marked with a "+" sign on the battery) from the battery in the same manner but always make sure that the negative terminal is the first one removed to prevent sparking that may cause hydrogen gas from the battery to explode.
5Remove the 13 mm battery hold-down bolt from the back side (closest to the firewall) of the battery using a 13 mm socket, extension and ratchet. Use an extension of sufficient length to prevent shorting the positive and negative battery posts together during hold-down removal.
6Lift the battery up from the battery tray, over the air filter housing and out of the engine compartment. Clean any acid and corrosion build-up from the battery hold-down, battery tray and battery cables using a solution of baking soda and water. Apply the solution with a paint brush and wait as it dissolves and neutralizes the acid. Rinse the residue away with clean water.
7Polish the battery terminals on the cables and the posts on the new battery using a wire brush-type battery post cleaner. It may be necessary to clean and polish the terminals on the cables several times to remove all of the corrosion and acid residue.
8Place the new battery in the battery tray. Install the battery hold-down on the back of the battery tray and tighten the bolt securely. Slide the positive battery terminal onto the positive battery post and pry the open end of the terminal apart with a large screwdriver as needed to seat the terminal fully on the post. Tighten the terminal bolt. Reinstall the negative cable in the same manner.
9Coat the battery terminals and posts with dielectric grease or spray on battery terminal and post protector.
