🔧 Town & Country - Battery Replacement

On your Town & Country, the battery is mounted behind the driver-side front wheel splash shield (not right on top of the engine). You’ll remove the wheel and a small inner liner panel to access the battery, then swap it and reconnect in the correct order to protect electronics.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.0-2.0 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🧤 Wear safety glasses and gloves; batteries can leak acid and vent gas.
• 🔥 Keep sparks/flames away; hydrogen gas can ignite.
• 🧰 Support the van with jack stands; never work under a vehicle supported only by a jack.
• 🔌 Disconnect the negative (-) cable first and reconnect it last to reduce short-circuit risk.
• ⚡ If your wrench touches body metal and the positive terminal at once, it can short—work carefully around the positive (+) terminal.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• 19mm socket
• Breaker bar 1/2"
• Ratchet 3/8"
• Socket extension 3/8" (6")
• 10mm socket
• 13mm socket
• Torque wrench 3/8" (inch-pound)
• Torque wrench 1/2" (foot-pound)
• Trim clip remover
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• Work light
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• 12V battery (Group 94R/H7) - Qty: 1
• Battery terminal anti-corrosion washers - Qty: 2
• Battery terminal protector spray - Qty: 1
• Fender liner push clips - Qty: 4

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, shift to PARK, set the parking brake, and chock the rear wheels.
• Turn the ignition fully OFF and keep the key fob at least 10 feet away from the van.
• Open the driver window (helpful if locks reset) and note radio presets/clock.
• Tip: Lay out clips in a small tray.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen the driver front wheel lug nuts

• Use a 19mm socket and breaker bar 1/2" to loosen the lug nuts about 1/2 turn (do not remove yet).

Step 2: Lift and support the van

• Use wheel chocks at the rear wheels.
• Use a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) to lift the driver-front corner at the proper lift point.
• Set the vehicle onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) and gently shake the vehicle to confirm it’s stable.

Step 3: Remove the driver front wheel

• Remove the lug nuts using a 19mm socket and ratchet 3/8" or breaker bar 1/2".
• Remove the wheel and set it flat under the van as an extra safety backup.

Step 4: Remove the inner splash shield/liner section to access the battery

• Use a trim clip remover to pop out the plastic push clips.
• Use a flat-blade screwdriver to help pry any stubborn clips (gently to avoid breaking them).
• Pull the liner back enough to expose the battery tray and terminals.
• Tip: Aim the work light from behind the tire area.

Step 5: Disconnect the battery cables (negative first)

• Use a 10mm socket with a ratchet 3/8" to loosen the negative (-) terminal clamp nut.
• Wiggle and lift the negative clamp off the post and move it aside so it cannot spring back.
• Use a 10mm socket to loosen the positive (+) terminal clamp nut and remove the positive clamp.
• Torque on reassembly: Torque to 5 Nm (44 in-lbs) for each terminal clamp nut.
• Tip: Twist the clamp—don’t pry the battery post.

Step 6: Remove the battery hold-down

• Use a 13mm socket, ratchet 3/8", and socket extension 3/8" (6") to remove the battery hold-down bolt.
• Remove the hold-down bracket and set it aside.
• Torque on reassembly: Torque to 23 Nm (17 ft-lbs) for the battery hold-down bolt.

Step 7: Remove the battery

• Slide the battery out of the tray carefully (it’s heavy).
• If a vent tube is present, disconnect it gently by hand before fully removing the battery.

Step 8: Install the new battery

• Set the new Group 94R/H7 battery into the tray in the same orientation as the old one.
• Reconnect any vent tube (if equipped) by pushing it on firmly by hand.
• Reinstall the hold-down bracket using the 13mm socket and ratchet 3/8", then Torque to 23 Nm (17 ft-lbs) with the torque wrench 1/2" (foot-pound).

Step 9: Reconnect the battery cables (positive first)

• Install the positive (+) clamp first and tighten using a 10mm socket, then Torque to 5 Nm (44 in-lbs) using the torque wrench 3/8" (inch-pound).
• Install the negative (-) clamp last and tighten using a 10mm socket, then Torque to 5 Nm (44 in-lbs).
• Install battery terminal anti-corrosion washers (one per terminal) and apply battery terminal protector spray.

Step 10: Reinstall the splash shield and wheel

• Reposition the liner and reinstall clips using the trim clip remover (new clips if any broke).
• Reinstall the wheel and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the van using the floor jack, remove the jack stands, and fully lower to the ground.
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern using a 19mm socket, then Torque to 135 Nm (100 ft-lbs) with the torque wrench 1/2" (foot-pound).

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✅ After Repair

• Start the engine and confirm it cranks strongly and runs smoothly.
• Check that headlights, wipers, and power sliding doors work normally.
• Reset the clock and re-save radio presets if needed.
• If a warning light appears, shut off, recheck terminal tightness and cable seating, then restart.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $250-$450 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $160-$260 (parts only)

You Save: $90-$190 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.0-1.5 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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