How to Disconnect Car Battery to Reset Check Engine Light

The check engine light is a warning light on your car’s dashboard that indicates a problem with the engine or emissions system.
If the check engine light is on, it’s important to have the problem diagnosed and fixed as soon as possible.

One way to reset the check engine light is to disconnect the car battery. This will clear the car’s computer memory,
which may cause the check engine light to turn off. However, it’s important to note that disconnecting the battery
will also clear all other stored data in the car’s computer, such as radio presets and seat positions.

If you’re comfortable working on your car, you can follow these steps to disconnect the battery and reset the check engine
light:

1. Gather your materials

• Wrench or socket set
• Gloves (optional)
• Safety glasses (optional)

2. Park your car on a level surface and turn off the engine

It’s important to park your car on a level surface to prevent it from rolling when you’re working on it.
Once your car is parked, turn off the engine and put the parking brake on.

3. Open the hood and locate the battery

The battery is usually located in the front of the car, under the hood. It’s a black or gray box with two terminals,
one positive and one negative.

4. Disconnect the negative battery terminal

Use the wrench or socket set to loosen the nut on the negative battery terminal. Once the nut is loose, carefully lift
the negative battery cable off of the terminal. Be careful not to touch the positive battery terminal with the negative
battery cable, as this could cause a short circuit.

5. Wait a few minutes

Once the negative battery terminal is disconnected, wait a few minutes for the car’s computer memory to clear.

6. Reconnect the negative battery terminal

After a few minutes, reconnect the negative battery terminal to the negative battery post. Tighten the nut on the terminal
using the wrench or socket set.

7. Start the car and check the check engine light

Start the car and check the dashboard to see if the check engine light is still on. If the check engine light is off,
the reset was successful. If the check engine light is still on, you may need to have the problem diagnosed by a
mechanic.

Note: Disconnecting the battery will also clear all other stored data in the car’s computer, such as radio
presets and seat positions. If you’re not comfortable disconnecting the battery yourself, you can have a mechanic do it for
you.