battery removal

Glad you're sorted. Yes, it is a nightmare, at least on the earlier A2s.
I got excited too soon. The bolts seem to be in a little cage which means there is no room to turn the spanner once you've attached it. No doubt there is some other type of tool needed. I've given up now. Was meant to be taking him to the garage tomorrow to get a new oil pressure sensor and ABS wires sorted, but that will have to wait now.
I'll take a picture of the bolts and go into Homebase or Wilco at the weekend and ask what I need to get them out
 
A normal ratchet drive with a 10" extension will get you to where there's room to swing it to undo the bolts. I think you'll need a 13mm socket if memory serves. Fingers crossed the last person to fit a battery didn't cross-thread the bolts into the brass inserts underneath, or they'll be coming out as well.
 
Thank you everyone. Can I just say a huge thank you to @steve_c For getting up super early to come and help me get the battery changed. He had a brilliant ratchet thing that got it out in no time. He was very patient with my somewhat fuzzy brain as I looked for bolts that were actually still attached and tried to do things up by turning them the wrong way. It turned out that it was the original battery so given Barney is 17, that is really good going.

I did have a bit more drama as I started to drive to the garage to find that one of the tyres was flat. It wouldn't inflate with the machine at Tesco so drive it slowly home and inflated it with Mabel's tyre inflator.

Finally dropped it at the garage and started the 3.5 mile walk home, only to trip up the kerb and land on my right knee. So a very slow walk home and one bashed up knee later, I finally got home

Thanks again Steve :)
 
Just a tip for next tine.

the air pumps at supermarkets and petrol stations often have a separate setting for a completely flat tyre. The pump senses no resistance and so doesn’t inflate it if it is flat. But select the option to inflate a flat tyre and it should do it.

just for next time (hoping that there won’t be a next tine)

Steve B
 
This may have been mentioned already somewhere in this thread, and plenty of members will already be aware of this...

There are two versions of the toolkit foam that sits around the battery.
The early version of the toolkit foam covers the 13mm bolts that clamp the battery in place. Therefore, to remove the battery, you've got to remove the toolkit foam. To remove the foam, you've got to remove the rear boot trim. To remove the rear boot trim, you've got to lift the rubber seal around the boot. Anyone bored yet!?
The later version of the toolkit foam has a little cut-out that allows you to access the 13mm bolts that clamp the battery in place without having to remove anything else. Hurrah!
The Bose subwoofer also has the cut-out, meaning that removing the battery on Bose-equipped cars is easy, irrespective of their age.

Sorry about your ordeal, Teresa. Not a great day in A2 world. :(

Cheers,

Tom
 
Just a tip for next tine.

the air pumps at supermarkets and petrol stations often have a separate setting for a completely flat tyre. The pump senses no resistance and so doesn’t inflate it if it is flat. But select the option to inflate a flat tyre and it should do it.

just for next time (hoping that there won’t be a next tine)

Steve B
Ah, thank you Steve - that may well have been it so very handy tip as I've had it before (its new tyre and valve so think it is the wheel that is at fault
 
This may have been mentioned already somewhere in this thread, and plenty of members will already be aware of this...

There are two versions of the toolkit foam that sits around the battery.
The early version of the toolkit foam covers the 13mm bolts that clamp the battery in place. Therefore, to remove the battery, you've got to remove the toolkit foam. To remove the foam, you've got to remove the rear boot trim. To remove the rear boot trim, you've got to lift the rubber seal around the boot. Anyone bored yet!?
The later version of the toolkit foam has a little cut-out that allows you to access the 13mm bolts that clamp the battery in place without having to remove anything else. Hurrah!
The Bose subwoofer also has the cut-out, meaning that removing the battery on Bose-equipped cars is easy, irrespective of their age.

Sorry about your ordeal, Teresa. Not a great day in A2 world. :(

Cheers,

Tom
Thanks Tom - I have the cut out. Only realised that when I had taken the trim off and manhandled the foam out. I am not at my sharpest at the moment ?
 
Back
Top