Toyota
Highlander 12V Automotive Battery Replacement Guide
How to change a dead 12 volt car battery
for the 3.5L V6 engine in a 3rd generation 2014 to 2018 Toyota Highlander.
2017 Highlander 12V Battery |
Loosen Rear Nut |
Release "J" Hook Bar |
This
automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist
owners of the third generation (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and
probably also the 2019 and 2020 model years) Toyota Highlander SUV
in changing a weak or dead 12V car battery for the 2GR-FE or 2GR-FKS
3.5 liter V6 engine. Owners of other Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles such as the 4Runner, Avalon, 86, C-HR, Camry, Corolla, iM, Land Cruiser, Mirai, Prius, RAV4, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma, Tundra, Yaris, FR-S, xB, xD, tC, xA, CT 200h, ES 250, ES 300, ES 330, ES 350, IS 250, IS 350, RX 300, GS 250, NX 300 and RX 350. The "group size" of the original OEM 12V battery is 24F. You can also use group size 35 batteries as well. A few compatible replacement 12 volt batteries with their part numbers are as follows: DieHard 38275, Delphi BU9035, EverStart MAXX-24F (Walmart) and Optima RedTop 35. The tools needed to complete this procedure include a 10mm wrench or a deep well 10mm socket with a 3/8" drive ratchet. |
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Loosen Front Bolt |
Front Bolt Removed |
Lift Battery Hold Down Bar |
The first two steps
are to open the hood and then move to right (driver) side of the engine bay. The 12V car battery is located right behind the driver side headlight housing and in front of the air filter box. Loosen the nut on the "J" hook bar at the rear of the battery hold down clamp by turning it in the counterclockwise direction with a 10mm wrench or a 10mm deep well socket with a 3/8" drive ratchet. You don't need to fully remove the 10mm nut, just loosen it enough until you can pull the "J" hook at the bottom of the bar out of its socket on the battery tray. Then remove the small bolt on the front edge of the battery hold down bar by turning it in the counterclockwise direction with a 10mm socket and a ratchet. Set the 10mm bolt aside in a safe place. Carefully lift the hold down clamp off the top of the battery. Avoid making contact with the battery terminals or the posts. Set the battery hold down clamp aside in a safe place. |
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Loosen Negative Terminal |
Pull Off Negative Terminal |
Cover & Tuck Away Cable |
Loosen the nut on
the negative "-" terminal by turning it in the counterclockwise direction
with the 10mm socket and the ratchet. Carefully pull the negative terminal off the "-" battery post. Wrap the terminal in a small towel and tuck it away on the right side of the battery to help prevent accidental electrical contact. |
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Pull Off Red Plastic Cover |
Loosen Counterclockwise |
Pull Off Positive Terminal |
Pull the red
plastic cover off the positive "+" terminal. Loosen the terminal nut by turning it in the counterclockwise direction with the 10mm socket and a ratchet. Pull the positive terminal off the "+" battery post. Close the red cover over the positive terminal and tuck it away on the left side of the battery to help prevent accidental electrical contact. |
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Terminals Disconnected |
Old Battery Removed |
Clean Off Battery Tray |
Carefully lift the
old battery out of the engine bay. Avoid touching the positive "+" or negative "-" battery posts. Gently set the old battery on the ground. Do not tip over or drop the old battery to prevent from having acid leak out. Be sure to take the old battery with you to Walmart or the auto parts store to prevent from having to pay a "core" charge or a "recycling" or "disposal" fee. If you can wait a few days for delivery, I recommend buying the DieHard 38275 or Optima RedTop 35 batteries since they have excellent reviews on Amazon. Clean off any debris on the black plastic battery tray so that the new battery will rest evenly on it. |
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Lower In New Battery |
Push On Positive Terminal |
Tighten Clockwise |
Carefully lower the
new battery into the engine bay. The positive "+" post should be on the left (passenger) side and the negative "-" post should be situated on the right (driver) side of the battery. If you've had a problem with corrosion (white or blue powder) building up on the terminals, I highly recommend installing some felt anti-corrosion washers to prevent any further damage to your terminals or battery cables. Push the positive terminal on to the "+" battery post. Tighten the 10mm terminal nut in the clockwise direction until it is snug. Try to avoid over tightening the terminal nut to prevent from cracking or damaging the battery post which could cause an acid leak. |
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Push On Red Plastic Cover |
Push On Negative Terminal |
Tighten 10mm Clockwise |
Push the red
plastic cover over the positive terminal. Push the negative terminal over the "-" battery post. Tighten the terminal nut in the clockwise direction with the 10mm socket and a 3/8" drive ratchet until it is snug. Avoid over tightening the terminal nut. |
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Lower Battery Clamp |
Spin In Front 10mm Bolt |
Re-Insert Rear "J" Hook |
Carefully lower the
hold down bar over the new battery. Avoid making contact with the battery terminals. Replace the 10mm bolt at the front of the hold down bar by turning it in the clockwise direction. |
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Rear "J" Hook Bar Secured |
Tighten Rear 10mm Nut |
Battery Clamp Secured |
Re-insert the "J"
hook at the bottom of the bar on the rear of the hold down clamp back into
its socket on the battery tray. Tighten the 10mm nut on the rear of the hold down clamp in the clockwise direction. |
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Double Check Fasteners |
New 12V Battery Installed |
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Tighten the 10mm
nut on the front of the hold down clamp in the clockwise direction. To test the new battery, start the engine and flash the high beams. You could also use a digital multimeter to test the voltage of the new battery. It should be anywhere from just above 12 volts to just over 13 volts when it is fully charged. If the engine is running, the alternator should be charging the new battery at any where from above 13 volts to just over 14 volts. Be sure to record the 12V car battery change in your vehicle's service records. Please check out all of my
2014-2018 Toyota Highlander DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides. |
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