Does your heart sink whenever you see the “Check Engine” light on your dashboard? While it can indicate several potential problems, a dying battery is near the top of the list. You need a replacement right away, of course, but you can easily perform this job yourself. In this guide, you’ll learn how to remove and dispose of it your old battery safely.

Symptoms of a Dying Battery

Batteries can have life spans between two and five years, but most last around three or four. Life gets in the way sometimes, and you may forget to check your battery until it’s too late. You may notice some typical signs when it’s near the end:

• Clicking sounds while turning the ignition key
• Dimming headlights
• Nonfunctional electrical accessories
• Slower engine cranking and turnover

Your battery may also exhibit physical symptoms like a swollen case or corroded terminals. Hopefully, you have enough juice left to drive to your nearest auto parts retailer and buy a new battery for Nissan Rogue.

Removing the Battery Safety

After you’ve purchased your new battery, you need to remove the old one from your vehicle. Because batteries contain acid that can harm live tissues, you need to wear gloves and protective eyewear. Follow these easy steps to take out your battery:

1. Disconnect the negative terminal on your old battery. The cable’s color will be black or dark grey at the tip. You may need to use a wrench to loosen the nut first. Avoid touching both terminals simultaneously with the wrench.
2. Unlink the positive terminal, which has a red-colored tip on its cable.
3. Remove strips or clasps holding your battery in place. Inspect the battery for any external damage to avoid accidental leaks.

Once you’ve taken out the battery, seal it inside a plastic bag. You may want to double-bag the battery and use thick plastic to minimize the risk of acid leaking to the outside.

Drop It Off at Autozone Locations

Learning how to dispose of car batteries starts with removing the old one, but you’re not done yet. With harmful chemicals inside, you can’t simply throw them away in your household rubbish. Environmentally safe disposal starts with taking your old bagged-up battery to an authorized site. You have three options: your municipality’s designated hazardous materials drop-off, metal recycling facilities or any local AutoZone store. If you choose the last option, you should receive a gift card or have the initial core charge refunded if you purchase a new battery for 2010 Nissan Altima at the same time.

Monitoring Your Battery Life

You can avoid nasty surprises with your battery by regularly checking its physical condition and charge levels. You can visually inspect your battery once a month to check for corrosion, loose cables or other abnormalities.

Most car care experts recommend having the battery inspected every six months to confirm its physical integrity and current levels. This inspection includes a visual check of the battery’s cables, insulation, terminal bolts and other hardware. If you don’t have a battery tester or voltmeter at home, you can take advantage of AutoZone’s free battery testing service.