How to Replace the Battery in a Ford Focus
by Kyle McBrideWhen you open the hood on your 2012-through-2014 Ford Focus, you'll find three black plastic covers on the driver side of the engine compartment. The one against the fender is the power distribution box. Don't touch that one. The cover closest to the front of the car is the air cleaner box and the cover behind that is the battery cover. Note the orientation of the battery when you take it out so you put the new one in the same way. If you have one-touch up and down front windows, perform the power window initialization after reconnecting the battery.
Step 1
Turn off all accessories and turn off the ignition before you open the hood. Install the memory-saver.
Step 2
Find the end of the negative battery cable connected with a nut to the side of the driver-side strut tower. Remove the nut and wrap the metal terminal on the cable with electrical tape so no metal is exposed.
Step 3
Disconnect the mass air flow wiring connector at the air cleaner box. Loosen the hose clamp for the clean air duct. Lift and disengage the tab on the fresh air intake duct. Grasp and lift the rear of the air cleaner box to disengage the retainer tabs, then slide the box rearward and up to remove it from the front locating pin. Remove the air cleaner box.
Step 4
Lift up the front edge of the battery cover and slide it forward to disengage the locating tab on the rear of the cover. Remove the cover. Press in two tabs -- one on each side -- on the top of the front panel on the battery box and slide the panel up. Remove the panel from the battery box.
Step 5
Remove two nuts on the battery hold-down bar across the top of the battery and remove the hold-down bar. Loosen the pinch nut on the positive battery terminal and remove the terminal. Slide the battery forward until the bottom lip on the battery case clears the battery box, then remove the battery from the engine compartment. Loosen the negative terminal pinch nut and remove the negative battery cable.
Step 6
Clean the positive and negative cable terminals, using the post and terminal brush. Install the negative terminal on the negative battery post and tighten it to 44 inch-pounds.
Step 7
Lower the battery into the engine compartment and engage the lip on the bottom of the battery case with the groove in the bottom of the battery box. Slide the battery into the battery box. Install the battery hold-down bar and tighten the nuts to 71 inch-pounds. Install the positive terminal on the positive battery post and tighten it to 44 inch-pounds.
Step 8
Engage the notch on the front of the air cleaner box with the locating pin and then press down on the box to engage the rear retainer tabs. Connect the MAF connector. Engage the retainer tab on the fresh air intake duct. Tighten the hose clamp on the clean air duct and tighten it to 27 inch-pounds.
Step 9
Fit the locating tab on the rear of the battery cover into the slot, then press down on the cover to snap it in place. Remove the tape from the terminal on the negative battery cable. Install the cable end and tighten the nut to 16 foot-pounds. Remove the memory-saver.
Tips
- To perform the power window initialization, start the engine. Lift the window control switch and hold it until the window is fully closed. Release the switch, then lift and hold it again for at least one second. Press the switch and hold it until the window is fully open, then release the switch. Lift the switch and hold it until the window is fully closed.
- If you don't use the memory-saver, you'll lose your radio presets and your powertrain control module will lose its adaptive strategy. Drive your Focus so the PCM relearns its adaptive strategy. You may experience abnormal shifting, idle and driving performance until the process is complete.
Things You'll Need
- Memory-saver
- Socket set
- Ratchet
- Electrical tape
- Battery post and terminal cleaner
- Inch-pound torque wrench
