# Missing Battery Tie-Down - How Bad?

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/missing-battery-tie-down-how-bad/64419>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [May 6, 2011, 1:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/missing-battery-tie-down-how-bad/64419 "2011-05-06T01:17:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![daeh\_ttub](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/daeh_ttub/32/5010_2.png) [@daeh\_ttub](https://community.cartalk.com/u/daeh_ttub)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 1:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/missing-battery-tie-down-how-bad/64419/1 "2011-05-06T01:17:58Z")

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I have a disagreement with a buddy and am looking for a second opinion. He’s missing a battery clamp/tie-down and he says it’s no problem. The battery is just sliding around on the tray and it’s next to the spinning fan belt pulley. I think this could lead to disaster at worst and a messy battery failure at best given his “spirited” driving style. What do you think? Is this as bad as I think it is or no big deal?

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 1:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/missing-battery-tie-down-how-bad/64419/2 "2011-05-06T01:22:41Z")

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A battery without a tie-down is subject to vibration and jarring. This can result in the plates in the battery being shaken loose causing a short in the battery. Ask your friend which he thinks is cheaper. A new tie-down or a new battery?

Tester

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**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 1:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/missing-battery-tie-down-how-bad/64419/3 "2011-05-06T01:29:59Z")

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This is a real problem, and real easy to fix. Hit a big bump in a corner and the battery’s where it shouldn’t be. Shorting out, damaging electronics, nothing good.

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**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 1:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/missing-battery-tie-down-how-bad/64419/4 "2011-05-06T01:51:11Z")

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Back in high school I dated this complete lunatic for a while. She wasn’t a “bad” driver in the sense that she wasn’t good at it. She was a reckless driver b/c I guess she always saw herself on a racetrack.

She also had a terrible beater of an old car. She pulled one of her crazy maneuvers once (I forget exactly what) and we heard a big thump and a terrible grinding.

When we popped the hood, the unsecured battery had indeed jumped its tray and was sitting cock-eyed trying to fall out the bottom of the car - except that, of course, the spinning fan was in the way.

I’m not sure how I lived thru hanging out with her. It didn’t last all that long.

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**Author:** ![daeh\_ttub](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/daeh_ttub/32/5010_2.png) [@daeh\_ttub](https://community.cartalk.com/u/daeh_ttub)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 5:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/missing-battery-tie-down-how-bad/64419/5 "2011-05-06T05:16:31Z")

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Thanks for the quick replies and the support. LOL Cig. I’m sure you had fun though.