DIY Car Battery Replacement: Save $$$ (Change Both Batteries in Your Wrangler and Gladiator)
- Muddy Ruttzz
- Jan 18
- 7 min read
2nd Battery? The Stop Start Systems Dirty Little Secret That Adds Aggravation To Car Ownership
Oh, stop-start systems in cars are just the absolute best! They're like your appendix—totally unnecessary until they decide to throw a tantrum. Some people are so in tune with their vehicles that they hit the button to turn it off the moment they step inside, while others are blissfully unaware that their engine is playing a game of musical chairs at stoplights. And let's not forget the majority of late model car owners who have no clue that their fancy machines actually run on *two* batteries! How delightful! Meanwhile, Jeep owners seem to have a special relationship with battery issues, as if it's some kind of rite of passage. I mean, who doesn't love replacing both batteries under warranty? In my infinite wisdom, I decided to be proactive and swapped mine out at three years—just to prevent being stranded in the desert. That is a little adventure I want to avoid.
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This Car Battery Replacement Was Done On My Wrangler Ecodiesel: Procedures On Other Cars Will Be Similar
When The Car Battery Warranty Is 3 Years I Tend To Believe They Will Last 3 Years
So, if your car batteries have been hanging out in your ride for about 3 years, it might be a good idea to think about swapping them out. And if you’re seeing messages pop up on your Jeep’s dashboard like “stop start unavailable” or “auxiliary switches not available,” it could mean that your main battery is starting to fade. That can also mess with the auxiliary battery, which might be feeling a bit weak too. Just a little heads up!
First Step In A Car Battery Change Is Knowing Where To Find It Under The Hood (For Some, It Might Be Figuring Out How to Open the Hood Without Calling for Backup)
The Jeep has it's stop/start battery is smaller (like a motorcycle battery) and located in a compartment underneath the main battery but most other cars locate them in a variety of places. Figure out where it is before attempting the car battery replacement. Here are some potential locations:
In the trunk: This is a very common location, especially in European cars.
Under the rear seats: Some vehicles place the auxiliary battery under the rear seats to save space.
In the engine bay: While less common than other locations, some vehicles may still have the auxiliary battery in the engine bay, but it will be separate from the main battery.
In the passenger compartment: Occasionally, the auxiliary battery might be found under the floor mats or behind panels in the passenger compartment.
WARNING: Critical Importance of Properly Disconnecting Vehicle Batteries
It is imperative to understand the correct procedure for completely disconnecting the batteries in your vehicle. Failure to do so may result in unintended activation of electrical systems, posing significant risks to both personal safety and vehicle integrity. Ensure that all systems are fully de-energized before proceeding with any maintenance or repairs. On my Jeeps I disconnect the negative battery leads and the ground wires on the body ground studs. Check your manual, ask a professional or have a professional mechanic do the work if you are not sure.
This is a short video I made disconnecting my Jeeps Battery:
Related Content
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Here Is How I Changed The Batteries In My Wrangler Ecodiesel Step by Step
Step 1 - Getting The Jeep's Hood Out Of The Way
You know one of the cool things about a Jeep is that you can open the hood all the way and lean it against the windshield, making it super easy to get to the engine bay. But here’s the thing—I’ve got these off-road lights mounted on the A-pillars, so that whole leaning thing? Yeah, not happening for me. Instead, I had to get a bit creative and use some straps to hold the hood up vertically. It’s not as chill as just leaning it back, but hey, it did the trick!
Step 2 - Disconnecting Battery Cables (see my warning)
Be sure to disconnect all the cables so the battery can be removed. I recommend disconnecting the body grounds as well to ensure no power is going to any systems on the vehicle.
Step 3 - Pull The Old Battery Out
Step 4 - Taking Out The Battery Provides Access To The Cover Of The Stop Start Battery Compartment
On the Ecodiesel the best way to access the stop/start battery is through this cover. I have heard the gas engine Jeeps have access from under the fender. Other vehicles most likely will have that battery in a completely different location. (See Here)
Step 5 - Auxiliary Battery Is Small And Easy To Remove
Step 6 - Threaded Posts Must Be Removed From Original Auxiliary Battery and Installed On New
All about AGM Batteries- Check out this article: AGM Car Batteries: Everything You Need to Know
Step 7 - Have The New Batteries On Hand Ready To Be Installed
So, I went to Napa and asked for their best batteries, and they hooked me up with one that was pretty awesome! But here’s the thing—it was a bit shorter than the original. I started to worry it might slide around when I hit the trails, so I decided to return it for one that fits just right.
Steps 8,9,10 - Install New Auxiliary Battery - Replace Cover- Install New Main Battery
The rest of this install is common sense:
Install the new stop/start (Auxiliary Battery) in the compartment.
Attach positive and negative cables to positive and negative terminals correctly.
Replace access cover.
Install new main battery.
Attach positive and negative cables to matching posts on battery.
Install battery hold down.
Don't forget to reinstall the felt heatshield to extend the life of your battery by protecting it from excessive heat.
Your done! Congratulations, you have new, dependable batteries in your vehicle and you saved money doing it.
Conclusion:
It is called preventive maintenance and most of us don't do enough of it on our vehicles.
So, I just swapped out the batteries in my Jeep after they’d been sitting there for three years. Honestly, I didn’t even bother checking how much life they had left. Since I do a lot of solo remote traveling on my Overlanding trips, I figured it was smarter to just replace them now rather than risk getting stuck out in the wild. It set me back a few bucks—money I would’ve loved to spend on a night out with my wife or snagging some cool parts for the Jeep. But hey, I decided to bite the bullet and treat it like an insurance policy. Better safe than sorry, right?
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