tracy-olson@comcast.net

Can anyone tell me how to properly remove the battery from my 2006 impala. It is dead and needs replacing but appears all but impossible to remove.
Thanks

J-C

The 2006 Impala battery is a toughy to remove. If this is an SS, the procedure is as follows (I'm not sure about v6 engine compartments, but I assume the layout is very similar).

Note the battery for '07 and '08 SS battery will not fit in a 2006 because the battery hight for the later model will not clear in the 2006. I had to go to the dealer for mine and it was $118 + $12 'core'/recycling deposit.

1) Let your engine cool or you will burn your hand. Remove the frame rigidity brace (black bar with three bolts - 2 bolts in front and one on the strut tower above the battery. If you aren't doing this in your garage or a place where you can lift your car to retrieve a tool, I strongly recommend tieing a string to the wrench, so you can pull it back up from the depths of the engine compartment. (A dropped tool will not fall straight to the floor)

2) Remove the two bolts for the engine compartment fuse box (2 on top of strut tower) There is a tab that inserts at the bottom. Remove the cover of the fuse box as well.

3) Completely back out the battery bracket bolt nearest the firewall end of the battery and back out the other bolt a few turns so that the brace can swing up. If you want, you can take the whole thing out, but it is not necessary. Use the shallowest 1/2 inch socket set (or ratcheting wrench is better if you have them) since the distance between the bolt and the engine is so close. Also note, the bolts have 'keepers' to prevent them from falling out of the bracket.

4) Loosen the bolts on the positive and negative terminals of the battery until you can wiggle each one off the posts.

5) Extracting the battery is accomplished by lifting the fuse box so the battery can be tilted up. The fuse box can be slid up and to the side (toward the engine) but it won't stay there, unless you either tie it there or have someone hold it, otherwise it will be like fighting a chinese finger trap.

6) OPTIONAL - If you have difficulty you can get additional access to push the battery out by removing the right front headlight, since there is a hole that allows you to push on the battery. There is one screw and a white plastic slide-in keeper for the headlight. (There is one disconnect for the entire headlight wiring harness)


7) If your battery has a bad cell and leaked, get yourself some Baking Soda (not baking powder) and mix up a solution to nutralize any acid that is in the battery tray (and on your hands). Pour it all over the battery tray. Fizzing sound confirms that you didn't waste your time with this step. Thoroughly rinse and dry the area before placing the new battery in.

8) Install the new battery the same way the old one came out. Don't forget to insert the bottom tab of the fuse box where it belongs before bolting it back in.

Let me know if you have any additonal questions.

Best
Jeff

tracy-olson@comcast.net

Jeff,

Thanks so much for the direction. That was exactly what we had started doing and thought there must be something we were missing. We couldn't believe we would have to take the cover off the fuse box to get the battery out. It's all changed and working like a charm.

Tracy

J-C

Hi Tracy,

Glad everything went well!

Cheers,
Jeff