How To: Change The Battery In Your Cobalt

[Foximus]

So, as we all know the battery for the Cobalt is located in the truck of the car. Its about a 20 minute deal to replace the battery.

Not too many people make a battery for the Cobalt. here are the specs:

Battery BCI # : 90 Series
Battery CA @ 32 Degrees F : 745
Battery CCA @ 0 Degrees F : 600
Battery Height : 6 7/8"
Battery Length : 9 9/16"
Battery Posts Type : Top Post
Battery Reserve Capacity : 90
Battery Voltage : 12 Volt
Battery Weight : 33.5 lbs
Battery Width : 6 7/8"
CCA: 600
Maintenance Free
Wet or Dry : Wet

To swap out batteries you need a 10mm socket on an extension, and a 13 mm socket.

Step 1 Open truck, remove anything in there, and remove the carpet panel, exposing the spare tire well and battery box.


Step 2 On the left side of the battery is a small gray wire on a small plug. Find this and wiggle it gently and pull it out of the battery, tucking it out of the way



Step 3 On the positive terminal of the battery, release the terminal cover. Push in the two tabs as shown and lift.

This will expose the Positive Terminal.

Step 4 Using a 10mm socket on an extension, carefully unscrew the positive terminal. Once it is loose, wiggle it up and off, snapping the cover back over it, and tucking the wiring harness out of the way of the battery.


Step 5 Goto the negative terminal, again with the 10 mm, and carefully unscrew and remove it.



Step 6 Make sure the terminal cables are tucked out of the way so you can get the battery out. Switch your tools for a 13mm, you need this to release the battery holding strap. This bolt is located towards the spare tire, and is just one bolt.


Unscrew the bolt, lifting the strap out of the way. The bottom retainer isn't mounted in, so make sure you don't loose it r the thread zerk. Lift the cable out of the way.


Step 7 Remove battery from trunk, compare to make sure new battery is of the right size and spec


Step 8 Carefully set the battery in the trunk, terminals to the rear bumper, negative to the drivers side, positive on the passengers side. Run the strap over the top of the battery, and put the 13mm bolt back in, tightening it snugly. This is all that keeps the battery in place, so make sure you don't skip this step.

Step 9 Hook the positive terminal back up. Lift the cover, slide it over the post on the battery and tighten down the bolt snugly with your 10mm. Then clip the protective cover over.

Step 10 Hook the negative terminal back up. Slide it over the post on the battery and tighten down the bolt snugly with your 10mm.

Step 11 Locate the small gray wire and reinsert it to the hole on the drivers side of the battery.

You should be good. Go turn the car on, make sure it all works. Then put your trunk carpeting back in.

Note: you will lose your radio presets and clock when the battery is unhooked.

[XFE]

Good Write up! Thanks Chris!

[SportLT]

why is our battery in the trunk...dumb

[BlackARCA06]

Nice right up.

---------- Post added at 11:36 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:35 AM ----------

Originally Posted by SportLT

why is our battery in the trunk...dumb

So people with subs can wire them up easier. duh jk

[USAMPDUFFY]

good question, us non ss fellas have plenty of room to have one but it doesn't look to spacious with the supercharger...I don't know just a random guess, nice write up

[BlackBaltSS]

Originally Posted by SportLT

why is our battery in the trunk...dumb

Weight distribution. Plus easier service.

[stickx911]

batteries can corrode metal. there's a lot of metal in the engine. Plus it makes a front end collision less dangerous (not sure how/why, just something a mechanic told me so take that with a grain of salt)

Good write up tho, thanks!

[killarowa]

its not easier if you have a big ported sub box in the truck.... or a bunch of stuff stashed in the trunk..... or if your like me and have both of those lol

[SHADWFX]

really great write-up. thanks!

Originally Posted by stickx911

batteries can corrode metal. there's a lot of metal in the engine. Plus it makes a front end collision less dangerous (not sure how/why, just something a mechanic told me so take that with a grain of salt)

i'm thinking it's a good thing so that in the event of a crash, you still have power to your door locks and such so you can get out if you need to. had a friend get stuck in his vehicle after a crash b/c of that reason, although for him it was the power seats - he couldn't push his seat back w/o power to get his legs out from under the crushed dash.

[Nighthawk243]

Mainly because many cobalts/G5's have all power doors/windows. My G5 had power to let me roll the windows "down" whenever I rolled the car. If the battery was in the front, I might have had to kick the windshield out.

In addition, it eliminates the problem GM cars have when the battery starts to corrode. GM cars do wierd things when the battery terminals start to corrode from being exposed to the weather. In my old 95 Grand Am, I would always lose ABS functionality whenever my battery terminals would need cleaned. Having a rear mount battery eliminates this issue.

Also, I think it was just a matter of room. Not many places to mount a battery in the front of most cobalts (SS/SC not included since we have tons of room where the 2.2/2.4 has the airbox.)