Changing Battery - Procedure

[Dabooka]

Hi everyone, I hope you all had a fine and dandy time over the silly season. :D

Anyway, what bring s me to post is I need to replace the Battery in my Rav and just wanted to run past the forum the best way to proceed. I've been made aware in the past that it's wise to 'shut' the car down properly whenever messing aorund with the Battery to minimise problems being caused. Previously on my old 206 I did this;

1. Lowered drivers window and pop bonnet
2. Remove keys and wait 10-15 mins (for the ECU to go to sleep?)
3. Disconnect Battery (neg first?)
4. Replace battery and reconnect (pos first?)
5. Lean through window and put ignition into position 2. Wait for 5 mins
6. Crank the beast over!

I don't know if this overkill, it was frequently referred to on the old 206 forum, but I figured I'd log on and check the collective for their views.

Cheers, and thanks for any responses.

Dabooka

PS Should it matter, it's the 2.2 diesel 4.3 ('56)

[gjnorthall]

Theres nothing clever you need to do when changing a Battery. Your Rav doesn't have a radio security code so no issue here. Ensure that everything is switched off and disconnect the Battery - the +ve connector off first and on last. Ensure that the new Battery is clamped fully and ensure that the connectors are clean and tight. Biggest hazard is accidentally earthing the battery with the spanner whilst tightening terminals - use a rag and take care.

[Dabooka]

Theres nothing clever you need to do when changing a battery. Your Rav doesn't have a radio security code so no issue here. Ensure that everything is switched off and disconnect the battery - the +ve connector off first and on last. Ensure that the new battery is clamped fully and ensure that the connectors are clean and tight. Biggest hazard is accidentally earthing the battery with the spanner whilst tightening terminals - use a rag and take care.

Champion, thanks for that; especially seeing as I'd gone the wrong sequence for disconnet the Battery terminals!

There were two options and I got it wrong.....

[FROSTYBALLS]

I know its an obvious thing - just make sure you connect the Battery correctly (positive to positive, negative to negative). Another member recently mis-connected their Battery, and had quite a few problems .....

[Dabooka]

I know its an obvious thing - just make sure you connect the battery correctly (positive to positive, negative to negative). Another member recently mis-connected their battery, and had quite a few problems .....

Blimey I dread to think what that will have done. I had enough hassle ordering the damn thing as the one they wanted to supply had the posts at opposite ends; I assume some versions have them reversed for whatever reason.

[FROSTYBALLS]

See http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/154472-big-problems/

[Dabooka]

Ouch. I hope the ECU wsn't fried, they alwsy get flagged up on other forums as being pricey to repair / replace

[pmb]

Theres nothing clever you need to do when changing a battery. Your Rav doesn't have a radio security code so no issue here. Ensure that everything is switched off and disconnect the battery - the +ve connector off first and on last.

Am I having a senior moment here? Surely you disconnect the -ve first (to avoid the possibility of getting the spanner between + terminal and a metal part) and put the +ve terminal back first for the same reason?

[gjnorthall]

Apologies - I meant negative off first and on last!

Many batteries are designed to be turned through 180 degrees so that the +ve terminal can be on the left or right hand side as required.

[Dabooka]

Apologies - I meant negative off first and on last!

Many batteries are designed to be turned through 180 degrees so that the +ve terminal can be on the left or right hand side as required.

Thanks for clearing that up, I thought I was going mad. The Battery on the Rav seems to have the termianls offset quite significantly to the back; if you 'flipped' the Battery, the terminals would be too far forward for the harness to reach (certainly the postive looking at it). It certainly caused problems for the chap in the past, and there does appear to be two types of Battery, so I don't know if it changed at some point.

I've posted a pic, curious if anyone elses is the same or differs.

[pmb]

I know in the past the Halfords website was suggesting the wrong Battery for the petrol model as it had the terminals reversed with respect to the diesel model.

[Dabooka]

I know in the past the Halfords website was suggesting the wrong battery for the petrol model as it had the terminals reversed with respect to the diesel model.

That'd be it then, although one would assume by supplying the reg of the vehicle, that they'd be a little more certain it was the correct orientation!

[gjnorthall]

Some batteries can be flipped around to fit. The original post was in respect of an early 4.2 petrol where the Battery is at the back of the engine bay - unlike the 4.3. The 4.3 diesel Battery, in particular, is quite a tight fit and I wouldn't suggest trying to fit a Battery with the terminals to the front. As standard on the early 4.2 - the terminals are at the front of the battery - but it's just as easy to fit a battery with terminals to the rear. Similarily the 4.1 has a battery mounted adjacent to the bulkhead and a battery with front or rear terminals can be fitted.

[Dabooka]

Thanks for clearing that up, I know on other motors in the past the terminals were central along the length, making it easy to flip; the 4.3 was, is, the first car I'v ehad where that's been an issue. Youi're corect in assuming it wouldn't stretch on the 4.3 (diesel at least) it is a snug fit and I guess that's why the chap had returns in the past

By 'original post' I assume you're refering to your post?

[Guest]

One other thing to remember is to take the Rav out afterwards for a 30 min drive so the ECU it can relearn its parameters, recommended to be all types of road fast/slow, traffic/junctions etc.

if you don't it will be a little rough when you drive as it has reset to factory defaults until it has stored it's updated parameters.

Gus

[three5]

I know its an obvious thing - just make sure you connect the battery correctly (positive to positive, negative to negative). Another member recently mis-connected their battery, and had quite a few problems .....

Hi Frosty - have been fascinated by your avatar since you put it up. Thanks for the explanation in your signature, it saved a PM! Do you have any further details of the motor or a link?

[FROSTYBALLS]

The AA was brought out in 1936 by the Toyoda Automatic Loom Works - the Toyota Motor Company was born in August 1936.

It shared mechanicals with the G1 truck introduced in 1935

Have a look at the following -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_AA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_G1

[FROSTYBALLS]

Also have a look at

and http://www.oldcarsweekly.com/news/hobby-news/double-a-discovery-how-toyota-found-first-production-model

[uniquestar]

I know in the past the Halfords website was suggesting the wrong battery for the petrol model as it had the terminals reversed with respect to the diesel model.

That'd be it then, although one would assume by supplying the reg of the vehicle, that they'd be a little more certain it was the correct orientation!

Make sure they're supplying you the correct Battery. I recently had mine changed and found out that the book that a lot of people use has an incorrect Battery listed. The garage supplied me a Battery that was 70AH and 570 CCA, whereas the 2.2 Diesel Rav4 needs 80AH and 800CCA (info thanks to kingo in a previous thread).

I ended up buying this one off eBay from eurocarparts (a lot cheaper here than in their store and with free delivery) for my 2007 XTR 2.2 D4D: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bosch-S4-Car-Battery-Type-335-336-With-4-Year-Manufacturers-Warranty-/330855767034?_trksid=p2054897.l4275

[gjnorthall]

The above is an example of a Battery (Bosch 335) with the positive pole normally front right but can be rotated through 180 degrees in order to fit the 4.3 diesel which requires the positive rear left.