Ah, Friday off. A leisurely morning, followed by a day of honey do’s around the house. The rare treat of being the one to drop both kids off at school and I can be productive around the house! Everyone’s piled in the Rendezvous and we’re ready to roll. Well, all of us except for the Rendezvous. The dreaded dead battery has snuck up on us.
The Beginning
Not bad overall, the battery has lasted over 4 years, and thankfully we were in the garage, right next to the Honda. Move the kids over there, run them to school, and stop by NAPA for a new battery (89.95 +tax). The fun starts when I get back. This will be a quick fix and I can get back to my day.
The Fun Really Starts
The hood is up, the battery is in sight, but what is that thing on top of it? Sweet! There is a brace running from the back of the engine compartment to the front, and no way to get the battery out from under it without removing it. Ratchet in hand, the brace is undone fairly quickly in the front, but I can’t get to the back because what appears to be the fuse panel is sitting on top of it.
More Fun with the Fuses
The panel is only held in place by a bracket and one small bolt, but the distance between the panel and the bracket is just slightly less than my fat fingers. With a small wrench, I manage to get the bolt out and not drop it. There is enough play that I can get the panel off of the brace and slide the brace to the side and just barely get the battery out of the compartment. Yikes, engine compartments of today in no way resemble a 1972 Chrysler.
Ah, Sweet Victory
The new battery is in, attached, and the bracket is bolted back in place. Now for the pesky fuses. Extended wiggling got the bolt started, then tightened. Best of all, a turn of the key and the engine fired right up.
Overall, it wasn’t a bad experience. I definitely saved the price of a service call and service labor by replacing the battery myself. The high temperature that day was 102, so it was way more pleasant in the garage than doing my chores outside!