This is the second time I've changed a battery on a "modern" car. Seriously, they make something so easy, so difficult to do, physically. I mean, every freakin' thing is in the way. After completely removing covers, getting cables with inline fuse boxes on them partially out of the way I still had to muscle the battery out of the compartment. Oh, btw the battery does not have a strap, so pulling it out was interesting. Putting the new one in was equally as daunting.

To add insult to injury after replacing the battery my windows were malfunctioning. Thanks to myG37.com I figured out how to fix that (reset the windows).

The other car I helped replace a battery on is a VW CC, which was far worse. After replacing it the power steering module needed to be reprogrammed. I mean, really!? Do car manufacturers really want us to bring our cars in for a battery replacement??

/rant

 

Take it to Sams club or Costco, no matter how complicated its the same price you just pay for the battery and no labor costs. But if they screw up, they probably wont be as helpful as a dealer.

 

The auto up/down reset? Hold for 10 secs etc... ?

 

yes, that one.

 

I enjoy simple cars.

 

That's the price you pay for gizmos.

 

How much did VW charge to reprogram the power steering module? Always been a VW fan just never bought one for one reason or another.

 

The battery on my MS6 isn't too burried, but I do hate having to reprogram the windows every time I disconnect the battery. It only takes a few minutes but it drives me crazy because I never remember until a day or two after I've worked on my car lol.

 

fixed

 

I just put a laWnmower battery in my car.

 

Get this... The dealership was going to charge my friend $150 to reprogram it, but after trying they realized that what was wrong was in a TSB so they had to replace some part and do it free of charge. Initially they told him if he would have brought it in to them to get the battery changed there would have been no charge. WTH?

 

What's an InfinitY ?

 

Yes. $$$$$$

 

Well we used to have a resident Infinity (sic) salesman here. Oh yes, thats how he's spelled it

 

That's how an Infiniti salesman (StonedCL) spelled it.

 

Was this preventative maintenance? Or are OEM batteries getting less life nowadays? I just recently changed the original battery on my 02 TL...

 

This was "preventative". It's getting cold in central Texas and when I went to start my car yesterday it turned over slowly. Just to make sure I turned it off and turned it back on. Same thing. I "prevented" being stranded.

I think so. That and from my understanding Infinitis OEM batteries don't last long at all. But, I have heard of other manufacturer's original batteries dying seemingly prematurely. I don't think it's premature though. I just think manufacturers go with the cheapest battery. It makes since for them financially. They don't pay much for the battery (lowering manufacturing costs) and they (may) get to make money on the replacement.

 

Cars these days are very electronic heavy thus batteries die quicker, electronic die,etc.
I really enjoy my basic 99TL. Tires are cheap, cheap to maintain, easy to maintain, etc.

I read this article about the Audi Q7 and my jaw dropped:

http://www.wheels.ca/article/801104

 

cool story bro.

 

Nice to see an MS6 owner here. My biggest regret in my car buying/selling life is selling my MS6. I still miss it. What an awesome car. Wish Mazda would make a new one.

 

hmmm mine's pretty simple to swap it out

must be the infinity

 

Try the 300M I had... It was in the passenger side fender. Under the wheel well lining. Had to take the wheel off to get to it.

 

Trunk here, and it's massive. Not to mention the fact that it has to be electronically "registered" with the on-board computer for anything to work upon replacement. Not a DIY project.

 

 

^^^I know. It's become ridiculous. Unless you're highly trained, the weekend tinkerer under the hood is dying off.

 

Eh doesn't look too crazy to change my Infinity's battery? Remove cover, remove tie down, loosen connectors, remove battery, install new battery, reverse steps

I use to leave cars running when I changed out batteries, that way radio and navi codes are preserved along with auto window operations.

 

It never even occurred to me that you could do that.

 

You can always use jumper cables from your terminals to another battery while you swap out. I have successfully done it twice. It does make getting it out a little harder though.

My battery is also strapless.

 

Try it. If you have a G37 Coupe you'll see. If you have a sedan it may be a bit different.

 

As I am currently employed by a Honda dealer, I get conned into doing wiper inserts, light bulbs and the like all the time and this is my current shit list...or, the list of cars whose engineers will get a swift kick in the nads from me if we ever meet.

Presenting the Runner-Up in the 'Bitch to Change a Headlight' category is.....
The 2003-2007 Accord for the driver's side.

This charming endeavor involves turning the wheels all the way to the right, removing a clip and pulling back the wheel arch liner. Then you must reach around a steel support bar and turn the bulb to remove after unclipping the power plug, something for which there is no easy way to achieve. More often than not, the screws that hold the bulb retention plate into the light assembly were over-tightened by the factory so you have to then loosen said screws in an area only large enough for one hand. Thus, there is no way to get a light in there so everything must be done by feel.

And the winner for 'Bitch to Change a Headlight' goes to....
The '05/'06 CR-V for the low beam bulbs.

It uses an impossible H1 bulb that refuses to stay put, is impossible to see if you've put it in upside down and makes use of a clip system that infuriates even our master technicians. And since they have VSA, there is literally no room in the passenger side of the engine compartment to get to the light. If you come in and ask for a CR-V with a low beam failure to have the bulb replaced, either ball it in with a service or prepare to wait at least 15 minutes.

 

Pretty much the same procedure for changing a simple fog light in my old '03 Forester. Remove wheel and fender liner? Really? Come on.

 

Fun, fast, maybe. "Awesome?" Not really. I don't miss my Speed 6. I especially don't miss the heavy clutch pedal that detracted from what should have been effortless driving. Not to mention the rather long shift gate. The seats were nice, but I always felt cramped width wise.
Happy 4G TL SH-AWD owner.

 

Same for the 350Z with Xenon bulbs. Front wheels and well liners must come off. Because the housing is behind the liner which may get cracked, there is a plastic housing around the bulb that is sealed to keep water out. I turned the screw on back of the housing at least 3 full turns to get it off and take out the bulb. When it went back on, 3/4 of a turn was sufficient to seal out water as it was TIGHT. At least an hour to change one bulb.

 

sounds more like this

 

I've never tried it on a newer car so I wouldn't know but wouldn't those memory savers keep all the settings? The ones where you hook up a 9V battery to your cigarette lighter or something?

 

Relocate the battery to the trunk like i did

 

You may be right. It's not like you have the most room available, but eh you do it every what three years?

Knock on wood my sedan's battery is still going strong.

 

Ha! I remember that clutch! That *was* frustrating sometimes, when you weren't *quite* paying attention... CCRRUNCH! The takeup was like an on/off switch. Clutch was either ON or OFF. I didn't find it overly heavy though. I liked it generally. Shift gate was shorter than my Saabaru 9-2X, so I didn't mind that either. I thought the seats were as good as in my Saab 9-5. Loved them.

It was quite a machine. Yeah, I'd say awesome, but that's just me. Maybe I'm remembering it over-fondly. I'd gladly take the Speed6 seats over the ones in my TSX wagon. I really don't like feeling like someone's kneeing me in the small of my back when I drive.

 

You can do something even simpler than this. Here's what I did a couple years ago:

1. bought one of those combo power sources from Costco- the one with jumper cables, air compressor, etc. Perhaps you or a neighbor already have one of these things- I use my pretty often as a compressor for tires.
2. the unit comes with a 12v male plug that you stick into your accessory outlet near radio
3. replace battery
4. unhook powersource

result: no codes to enter for radio/nav and no windows to program

 

Just remembered the King of PITA Service Items....

The S2000 for that itty bitty marker light on the grille edge of the headlight. It baffled myself, two other lot attendants, three techs and a service advisor before the customer finally caved and we spun it into the shop, put it up on the lift and took the wheel off to get the new bulb in.