Some battery’s are inside the inner fender well, meaning you have to jack the vehicle up, remove the front wheel and part on the inner fender well, then fight with the hard to reach hold own and battery cables…
2 Likes
Every vehicle I have owned had easy things to service and difficult things to service. Here are some examples:
Difficult:
1.1954 Buick, 1965: Rambler Classic, 1950 Chevrolet pickup truck.
To remove the transmission to replace the clutch, the torque tube drive and rear axle were one piece, so the rear axle had to be dropped to remove the transmission.
2. 1971 Ford Maverick
The air conditioner evaporator had to be removed, necessitating discharging the air conditioning system to replace the heater core.
3. 1947 Pontiac, 1954 Buick, 1950 Chevrolet pickup, 1955 Pontiac
The brake master cylinder was under the floor. The carpet had to be removed to check the fluid level. The vehicle had to be up on a hoist to replace the master cylinder.
Easy:
- 1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass. The heater core and air conditioning evaporator were in a box under the hood. The heater core could be replaced without touching the evaporator.
- 1971 Ford Maverick 250 cubic inch 6
The oil drain plug was on the side of the oil pan and the oil filter could be reached from the side of the engine. I didn’t have to raise the car to change the oil. I just slipped a catch pan under the car and removed the drain plug. I would reach down from above the engine and change the filter
I could give many more examples of the cars I have owned. The point is that there are easy and more difficult items to service on any vehicle.
1 Like
My neighbor had one like that. Dodge Intrepid. Battery posts in engine bay for boosting.
1 Like
That was the 2nd gen Intrepid, my 1st gen Intrepid battery was under the hood and easy to swap out… But yes that is just one of many like that…
1 Like
2000 Intrepid a1 auto guy takes it out from the top.
Other videos show removing battery after removing wheel and peeling back wheel well plastic cover.
A1 auto has the better accompanying music.
Hopefully, you learned your lesson and will stay away from ford.
BTW, ford managed to put the slave clutch cylinder INSIDE the bell housing effectively turning a 20 min repair into a major multi-hour disaster.
Several manufactures have used that type of release bearing/slave cylinder assembly for decades.
Below is a 2007-2019 Nissan Sentra unit.
Why so many posts replying that this battery is difficult to access?
Or did many of you miss that the car in question is a 99 Grand Marquis?
“ ford managed to put the slave clutch cylinder INSIDE the bell housing”
Gee, I did not know automatic transmissions used a slave clutch cylinder!
1 Like
I’ve NEVER seen this peculiar design (cylinder INSIDE bell housing) anywhere but ford’s “best selling” f150.
Respectfully disagree on both points:
fords are anything BUT reliable
Walmart’s batteries are better than Costco’s interstate. 30+ years ago, Interstate was a respectable brand but not too much these days.
Every single Walmart battery I’ve bought (for multiple vehicles) over the last 30 years, every single one lasted 7+ years. On the other hand, battery longevity depends not only on its quality but on quality of the vehicle charging system. And all my vehicles were Honda until 2004 and Toyota ever since.
My 1983 Toyota Corolla wagon with 1.6 litre 4 cylinder engine was very reliable. Hauled a tent trailer through the mountains of West Virginia. Only problem was the head gasket. Should never have used the Prestone radiator leak sealant on the trip to Georgia. Used the Toyota for work also and with idling must have come close to 300000 miles.
My 1986 Chevy Suburban 6.2 diesel went through two transmissions.
My brother swears by his Honda Civic.
I have had very few problems with my two Panthers.
Big comfortable vehicles with good power.
As to the Costco Kirkland batteries made by Johnson
Controls, 4 year full replacement warranty and pro-rated 96 month warranty. They refund the original purchase price up to four years at the returns counter with no testing required. Of course the new purchase price has gone up.
1 Like
Agree. I did manage to change the Intrepid battery for my neighbor in his driveway. But having the tools and doing your own repairs over the years helps.
Having a brother who was mechanically inclined also helps. I can remember one weekend stuffing nylon rope into the cylinders to keep the valves from dropping into the cylinders while changing the defective original oil seals on the 93 Crown Vic.
And so many how to videos on You Tube.
I do agree - generally Kirkland brand is better than “brand names” but our Costco only sells interstate. I tried it once, and it took a dirt nap within two weeks. Returned, replaced with Wamart’s - no problem since.
I did buy a gmc sierra 3500 a couple of years ago. I don’t drive it much - firewood, dump trips - put about 1,000 mi on it. Nothing is wrong with it but it feels like every part lives its own life without knowing anything about others. I just don’t feel confident in it so I bought a Tundra a couple of days ago and absolutely love it! gm is going to where it came from - market.
My neighbor bought a new Toyata Tacoma 4x4 pickup last year. Beautiful truck and no denying Toyota quality and reliability.
The only problem with my Kirkland battery is during the cold winter months. The car sits in the car shelter for days. I keep a battery charger connected and Alexa turns the battery charger on for me when i need to use the car.
I don’t want amazon to keep an eye on me so I have a water-resistant trickle charger connected all the time - I don’t drive the truck too much, mostly my Rav4 Hybrid, and the battery does drain pretty fast because of all electronic stuff. I had a winch harness installed on the 'Runner so it’s easy to connect the charger, will install it on the Tundra when have a chance.
Have not checked on the newly acquired Tundra yet but the 4Runner it replaced, the battery would die in less than two weeks with 50 mAmp drain. I checked all circuits, and couldn’t find anything suspicious…
In other words, I don’t think there is anything wrong with the battery.
1 Like
There have been several vehicles where the battery is under the driver’s seat, in a hole . . . you cut the carpet and lift the battery out, hopefully without throwing out your back
I also remember a car where the battery was in the trunk and you had to move the factory air suspension reservoir and lines out of the way first . . .
Have you ever replaced group 31 batteries . . . now imagine the vehicle has 2 or 3 of them, which is not uncommon
My first car was a 1968 Camaro convertible right out of the dealer showroom. When it caught on fire, it was replaced by a 1971 Camaro Rs. Followed by used vehicles. 1970 Pontiac Grand Prix, 1978 Ford station wagon, 1983 Toyota Corolla wagon, 1986 One and only Chevy Suburban 6.2 litre diesel {2 batteries),
1993 Crown Vic LX and 1999 Mercury Grand Marquis LS.
All of them with the easily removed engine compartment batteries.
Googled BMW to find battery in the trunk
Easy removal but new battery needs to be coded with $100 scan tool.
Not just BMW
Other brands also require that
2 Likes
Somewhere else on this forum is a discussion about carrying a file in the car to smooth out the breaker points while stuck in a parking lot. And people still think old cars are better.
3 Likes
I used to be able to repair my vacuum tube television and high fidelity amplifier. I used to overhaul the engine and do the repairs on my 2 stroke Lawnboy mower. I replaced spark plugs, ignition points, fuel pumps, generators and water pumps in my vehicles. I even rebuilt the carburetor on my 1950 Chevrolet pickup truck.
Do I long for the good old days of my younger years? NO!!!
I like my flat screen television, my battery powered mower and my modern fuel injected, electronic ignition vehicles. The maintenance on all these modern things is minimal and that suits me just fine.
5 Likes