How to Replace Negative Battery Terminal 2003-11 Honda Element

Hi, I'm Mike from 1A Auto. We've been selling auto parts for over 30 years!

Hi, everyone. Sue here from 1A Auto, and today on our 06 Honda Element we're going to be replacing the negative battery cable. If you need any parts for your car, click on the link below and head on over to 1AAuto.com.

10 millimeter. We're going to disconnect the negative side terminal. Take the cable right off that battery. Then we have the ground that goes to the body. That's another 10 millimeter socket. We're going to follow that ground cable down. We've got one connection here on the battery tray. I'm going to use a trim tool, body trim tool. I'm just going to reach right in there and break that tab off because the new one come with it, so I don't need to save it.

Then there is a clip right down here. Maybe you can see it through here. It's got a tab on it. I'm going to push on that tab. Now the pry bar from down below. You can use a floor jack, or jack stands. I'm going to take a pry bar and I'm just going to pry this off because the clip that it's on, the clip is good, but the middle bracket is all rust, so I'm just going to pry it right off.

The new cable does come with that clip, also. Now I'm going to lower it back down so I can get to the ground bolt. The ground cable bolt is facing upwards, so it's a 10 millimeter socket. I'm going to use a long extension. I'm going to just put right on there. See if I can break that free. There it is. I'm going to grab my magnet before the bolt drops.

So now I can grab my old negative battery cable and just bring it right up through the bottom here. Now you can see what the problem is. Look at that. It's kind of common on these Hondas. Even the Civics do it. For some reason that cable is exposed on the ground cable, and this is what happens. The new ones even come that way.

We have the new cable and the old cable. It comes with all the clips. I'm ready to install it. So, once again I'm going to bring the tab end down. Make sure that the tab is facing down so it's going to go in that little guide on that bracket. So I raise the vehicle back up. Now I can put this clamp back on this bracket. I'm going to push it flush. I'll probably get the pry bar. Now I'm just going to put the pry bar up and see if can just tap it in. Beautiful. There you go.

I'm going to start the mounting bolt from down below. Probably end up tightening it from the top, just want to get it started, so I can use that long extension. Make it easier. There you go, I started it. I'll bring it back down.

I've got my long extension with my 10 millimeter socket on. I'm just going to grab the head of that bolt. Snug that bolt down. It's a small, thin bracket so you don't need to you just want it snug. It's going to bottom out, but you don't want to bend that bracket, or break that bolt off. Perfect. So now I know that this cable's supposed to look. This terminal end is supposed to be facing this way. So I'm going to put the body cable on. The tab goes in that little slot above the mounting hole. 10 millimeter bolt. Grab my socket and just give it ... snug that down.

Perfect. Okay, so I want that cable up. I don't want it facing down like this. I want that end of the cable in the air. Make sure that terminal goes all the way to the bottom of the post. 10 millimeter socket. You want to bring both of those ears tabs, flush with each other. Make sure no moisture or it's not too loose.

Perfect. Now this one little black clip goes on the battery hold down bolt, just mounts right there. Now we're ready to go!

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