How easy do you think it is to change the battery on an Volkswagen Amarok? If you’ve never performed this operation before, we can confirm that yes, you can do it on your own, but it’s not as simple as you might think. That’s precisely why we’ve decided to help you with this article, to get you out of trouble when your car battery fails.
In the cold season, problems with the car battery occur most frequently. Even if you’ve checked the electrical consumers and are convinced that the battery doesn’t have a higher consumption than usual, there’s something you can’t control: the low outside temperature. When exposed to low temperatures, as we have on winter nights, a battery that has exceeded its operating period of 2-3 years may start to lose its electrical charge. That’s why it’s very possible you’ll wake up one morning to find that the car won’t start, the cause being, of course, the battery that no longer has power.
Useful Things to Know About Battery Operation
It’s good to have some clear notions about how the battery works in an Volkswagen Amarok. Read on to make sure you understand exactly what’s going on with the battery.
A car’s battery has the main tasks of starting the car and then supplying power to the electrical consumers. However, the battery is not solely responsible for the car’s electrical supply system. Just as important as the battery in this whole process is the alternator.
The battery works closely with the alternator as follows: the battery supplies electric current at startup, and then the role of maintaining the electric current—that is, keeping the battery charged—is taken over by the alternator. Consumers are powered by the battery, but the battery is charged by the alternator. On its own, it could function for only a few hours.
Both the battery and the alternator are indispensable in supplying energy to cars. If one of them fails, the electrical system goes down. When the battery no longer works, you know what happens—it’s logical—the car won’t start. When the alternator fails in an Volkswagen Amarok, the battery also gives out. While driving, the car will stop because without current, the other systems will no longer function.
What Does an Alternator Do?
- Converts mechanical energy produced by the engine into alternating electric current.
- Converts alternating electric current into direct current.
- Transmits electric current to the battery so that it can, in turn, supply consumers such as lights, audio systems, climate control, horn, wipers.
- Provides the battery with the electric current it needs to start.
It’s very clear that both the battery and the alternator have essential roles in supplying the car with the electric energy necessary to start and operate, and that these two very important components cannot function without each other.
How to Change the Battery on an Volkswagen Amarok
When the battery on an Volkswagen Amarok fails, it needs to be replaced. Here’s how you should proceed!
No matter how simple changing the car’s battery with a new, perfectly functioning one may seem, it’s good to know that you can’t perform this operation without being prepared. You need a basic tool kit—which ideally you should always have on hand—containing socket wrenches, open-end wrenches, electrical contact spray, and gloves. More precisely, when removing and reinstalling the battery, you need a socket wrench with a 13 or 14 mm extension, open-end wrenches of 10 and 12 mm, an electrical contact spray, a piece of soft cloth for wiping surfaces, and gloves.
First step: Unscrew the bolts that fix the battery in the metal tray at the bottom; here you need to use the socket wrench. Be very careful if this bolt is rusted, especially if the battery hasn’t been changed for a long time.
Second step: Loosen the screws holding the terminals using one of the 10 or 12 mm open-end wrenches, depending on the terminals.
Third step: Remove the connector and lift out the battery.
After the old battery has been removed, the space where it was located must be cleaned; otherwise, there’s a risk that rust or moisture from under the old battery will affect the new one. To prepare the connectors, they can be sanded and sprayed with electrical contact spray.
Once the space and connectors are prepared, you can place the new battery in the same position as the old one, with the positive and negative terminals in the same positions. The battery must be secured very well in the metal tray. It’s important that both the battery and the terminal connectors are screwed and fixed so they don’t move during driving.
How to Temporarily Charge the Battery on an Volkswagen Amarok When It Won’t Start
When the battery on your Volkswagen Amarok has discharged but you can’t replace it immediately for various reasons, there’s a compromise solution: to charge the battery from another car—to jump-start it. For this action, you need jumper cables, which are accessories ideally kept in the car. Their price is not high at all, around 100 lei, and it’s good to make this investment because you never know when they might come in handy.
To connect the batteries of the two cars, they need to be parked as close as possible to each other so that the cables reach from one battery to the other. All metal objects in the battery area should be removed, especially if the car has the battery in a different location than under the hood—as we usually know—such as under one of the two front seats or in the trunk.
After the cars have been parked in a position where the current transfer is possible, connect the cables, which we recommend you check every time you use them to ensure they’re in good condition.
The red cable connects to the positive (+) terminal of the battery that provides power and to the positive (+) terminal of the battery on the Volkswagen Amarok that receives power. For safety, the end must be connected strictly to the battery, not touching other metal components of the car.
The black cable is connected with one end to the negative (–) terminal of the charged battery and with the other to one of the metal parts of the car that needs power (body, engine) or directly to the negative terminal. If it doesn’t reach the terminal, it’s advisable to attach it to the engine block.
After connecting the cables, start the car with the charged battery. After a few minutes, you can start the car with the discharged battery. Depending on how discharged the battery was, you may need to wait a bit longer until it charges enough to start.
To start the car, the car from which you’re taking power may need to be revved up a bit when you turn the key, especially if it has a smaller engine capacity than yours.
After the battery on the Volkswagen Amarok has received power and has been revived, the cables can be disconnected in reverse order—the black cable first, then the red cable.
In conclusion, when the battery on an Volkswagen Amarok fails, you have two options: the first is temporary and involves charging from another car using jumper cables, which, as we mentioned, you should always have in the car. The second is replacing the battery with a new one, following the steps we’ve detailed in the article so that you’re sure you successfully complete this operation, which is not as easy as it seems.
