I think this is a great moment to thank all those engineers and designers for the wonderful and amazing job they do building modern cars. It takes a lot of dedication and knowledge to take one of the most simplistic and easy maintenance related jobs on a car and turn it into a total Rube Goldberg event!
Hey, just wanted to say the removal and installation was pretty much the same on my 2017 ATS with start stop. After I replace the battery, I checked everything and it was fine without doing anything else. FYI. Thank you!
That was absolutely insane. All that work to pull & replace a battery. I miss my '68 Olds Toronado. You could open the hood, sit on the fenders (without risk of crumpling them) and have room for you and 2-3 friends. The only PITA was about a mile of vacuum lines that got old, hard and crumbly in the worst places. Vacuum ran everything. Headlight covers were vacuum actuated, they made such a satisfying clunk when they opened and closed. Car was amazing in snow, 455cid, giant bell housing, full size tranny, all the sheet metal (I swear the hood weighed half a VW!) sitting on the drive wheels. Miss that car. Don't miss buying gas for it. Was getting 8-10 mpg on good days. WAY less if my foot got feisty. Oh, and it had THE coolest speedometer ever.
Wow. Whomever designed this cluster should be forced to replace the battery to see what he or she has created. Thank You for being so patient and thorough. Great Job!
My 2014 CTS is exactly the same. Thanks to your video, I was able to swap my battery in about 15-20 minutes. I could have done it without watching, but it was sure nice knowing what to expect. Thanks!
8:58 Those plastic washers are to help on the assembly line. Holds the Christmas trees to the panel as an assembly. Pull the part off the cart and everything is there ready to go.
Thank you for that. I was trying to figure out why those were there. I was also wondering if it mattered that he missed them on reassembly. Now I know it doesn't matter. Thanks!
I looked up this morning on the GM labor time guide. Warranty time is .9 to replace the battery. Just an FYI. Keep up the videos. Even a battery is a nice break from reality of these days. Keep up the good work!!
almost as bad as my mercedes rear license plate lights....sheesh I had to break the rear trim just to get them out. they couldn't just put regular bulbs that twist and pull out...they had to put big square modules that are expensive. fuckers.
I don't think gm would have designed that cover so ridiculously before they went bankrupt. I think I would have recommended cutting the trim panel above the battery and duct taping it back together afterward. Done in 10 minutes.
Thank you for taking the time to shoot such a detailed procedure. The procedure for a 2016 ATS is identical. It is unreal how difficult it is compared to the procedure for a 2009 CTS, which is a breeze. This video got me out of a jam.
As senior engineer on this project, I recommend building the car around the the battery, which will be embedded in the trunk! I konw it doesn't sound logical, but, think about it. It will be soo clean looking!
Management to senior engineer - "think about how we get more billable hours for dealers". Engineer to management - "there, that design will do the trick and chase away those nasty DIYers".
@@beyondrepair8949 You guys ain't good engineers, everyone knows you hang the heater core on the assembly line, then build the car around it... That way, the replacement of the heater core takes more time to replace than building the vehicle in the first place...
You are such an honest business man. All of your customers should be thanking you for working on their cars. Your Mom and Dad raised you correctly... sorry you have to live in New Your State.
@@dot7107 That's probably Canadian dollars though which makes it more like $525 US. Plus they may be paying higher duties on imported materials etc. Just food for thought.
Thanks for the enlightening vid on the ATS battery change. I have changed a bunch of batteries in my days but this one takes the cake. Cannot believe what you went thru to complete this one...
I always felt like they always promote the idiot that made the biggest screwup just to pull him out of the picture so couldn't mess it up any more. An the guy above him made some kinda bigger screwup and on up the chain till you get to top management.
Eric O, I just want to thank you for this video. It really saved me some money. I own a 2018 CTS and it was almost identical to your ATS. If it hadn’t been for your video I would’ve been afraid to attempt this myself. Following your good step-by-step directions, I was able to install my new battery. I really appreciate how experts like yourself are willing to offer free information to help others. I subbed to your channel and clicked the thumbs up. From one TH-camr to another, thanks again. Take care my friend!
I have the same Cts, was the battery change a PITA or very similar to this the Ats in this video? I bought the battery but discovered - whoa it's buried in the trunk. Thanks in advance!
@@corvette2006vert yes, mine was in the trunk also. You just have to take a few things apart. Looks more complicated than it really is. just take your time and take photos that’s when I did.
@@DaveDabomb Thank you for your help! With the XTS you have to reprogram wout the ith putting the windows up and down I read, so wasn't sure about the CTS. Thanks again!
Battery in my Charger is in the trunk, but it's accessible pull up the spare tire cover. No disassembling half of the inside of the trunk to get to it.
Hey Eric... thanks for the video which explains why modern cars can be a pain in the ass to change a battery in! I worked for a couple of years at a battery store, and have changed hundreds of batteries. These Cadillacs (and some other GM vehicles) are excellent examples of "when replacing your car's battery is NOT a DIY project"! And by the way, 'AGM' stands for "Absorbed Glass Mat", which is basically fiberglass stuffed into each cell of the battery!
Went from dead tired to all charged up on this R & R video !!!!! Took more time to remove the battery coverings than to remove and install the battery itself !!!!! Good job, Eric O. !!!!! Another top quality highly professional job done at the nefarious SMA !!!!!!!
Iv'e been a subscriber for over three years now (on my personal account and now this account) and have probably watched all of your videos at least once and sometime even two or three times. I just want to say thank you for all your hard work you do to bring us these great videos. Making videos isn't nearly as easy as it looks, I'm learning that with the makings of with my own videos. Please do us all a favor and make sure you and your family stay safe. I know that I can say this for a lot of people, we wouldn't want any harm cast upon you or your family. So be sure to wear glove and wash your hands regularly. :)
I just wanna say thanks for all the videos you do. I had some no crank no start no comm issues with my gmc sierra this last Saturday and thanks to a few SMA videos i figured out the problem with a little testing and got her running. I owe you one Eric O! Thanks!!
Nothin better to watch than Eric pummeling a darn Cadillac mission impossible battery! Thanks Eric...it keeps my sanity going in the crazy times we are living.....
Changing the front cigarette lighter: 1. Disconnect battery and all wiring harness assemblies. 2. Drain antifreeze and oil 3. Place car on the lift 4. Support the engine and remove motor mounts. 5. Hoist the engine out of the way. 6. Replace the cigarette lighter assembly 7. Reassemble in reverse order. 8. Fill antifreeze and oil. 9. Make sure that lighter works. 10. If it does not work, change the fuse - that's all that was wrong with it.
Ha. Took a look at service data to remove headliner for easy access to sunroof drains in my V50. Stopped reading when it said to remove windscreen and went my own way.
Thought there would be some kind of massive problem with the ECU relearning procedure. Like trying out all the scan tools, cause no one would work etc. :D
I recently took a door panel off a 2010 Mazda5. 9 out of 9 clips sounded like they broke, so I thought I was doing it right. Unfortunately, I only actually broke *8* out of 9. So close. :-)
There must be some kind of a competition where an award is awarded for the person who can design a extremely complicated solution to a formerly simple repair. This Cadillac is definitely in the running, though I do appreciate changing headlight bulbs that require you to remove front bumpers and take out windshield wiper reservoirs and/or radiator coolant tanks. You want how much to change a lightbulb???
I like the fact that the battery is away from engine heat and vibration, but buried under fixed trim pieces is a pain, but Jon is right Chrysler sticking it in the wheel well is just the best. Pretty soon some brilliant engineer will design it so you have to pull the motor to change the battery.
Because I was WFH my battery practically died and I was shocked when I looked under the hood and no battery! I had to go to YT right away! Thanks for posting!
Eric you're not crazy, I just heard me, myself talking to each other and they said you're just fine. That 4 banger sounds a smooth as my old mix master. Stay well!
I thought things must be slow at SMA if Eric's showing a battery replacement. Then I remembered it's a modern Cadillac, and the run time on the video was 31:40. Silly me...I should've known better.
Just started a subscription. I learned some interesting facts about repairing vehicles watching. One thing I really is your comments and you and your wife kidd around. Also to see how you have taken younger people to help them learn the trade. I wish nothing but the best and keep up the good work.
But the starter was SO protected!! I have always bought GM products. Key word: HAVE. After this POS CTS AWD PREMIUM (the only "premium" is the constant repair prices!) is worth more than I owe, it'll be someone else's problem. Hope I don't get arrested after the sale for attempted terrorism, or some shit like that. I honestly feel bad for the poor SOB who ends up owning it.
I ignored this video for a few days, but just had to install a new battery in my 2016 Mazda 3s, so this grabbed my interest all of a sudden. That battery was gravy despite looking a bit fancy. It has the weird extra components all over the positive terminal, but fortunately just came off with the lug. And now i know what to call those weird "christmas tree" clips, so major win. Stay safe!
Eric you got it all wrong, there’s an easier way, start at the front, remove grill headlight , front bumper cooling system engine etc until u get to the trunk
My Diehard replacement battery came with a vent plug attached to the positive cover. I've been needing to reattach the magnets on that upper trim piece for some time now. This was the perfect time to do it.
The reason they do that kind of shit is they want every body to return to the dealer for service, if they made it easy to do nobody would go to a dealer to replace a battery!
As an Automotive engineer, i can agree. When i worked for one of the Big 3 US auto manufacturers, i was amazed at the number of engineers in the performance group that had never turned a wrench.
Good idea brotha but maybe they would be stuck running wires to the battery. I'm talking fixing the problem when someone decides they are an electrician, cut the starter cable, and re send it a completely different way. Anyone here would scratch their head and ask "why?". This would of been great for Eric to fix and comment on. By the way, the starter cables and ground were fine, the starter was junk. How did I know this BEFORE Mr electrical master had a go? I already told the lady she needed a new starter. I was actually gonna do it for her, that's when Mr hot shit electrical genius rolled up. To this day I have NEVER seen ANYTHING like the way this guy attempted to rewire this. It was an absolute joke! Long comment but I'm just getting friendly with the peace pipe!
Glad to see you are still working. Here in Colorado it has slowed way down. I have been getting more big jobs lately. Rod knocks, massive leaks, OBD 1 stuff. Not really what I want to do at my age.
I hope you and the kids and Ms O are doing well. I've been watching here in Canada and truely appreciate your efforts and generosity. I'm old and broke so can' afford much but watch adds ans talk you up. Thanks!
Some great nuggets of info including the AGM battery, avoiding disabling onstar internal battery, avoiding the negative battery post during recharge and learning that I'm not the only one who breaks those christmas tree connectors from time to time. Thank you. .Craig
gatekeeper65 Those Christmas tree fasteners don't mail themselves! I find this to be so insanly unnecessary BUT! I'd have to look under the hood to see why. It's still crazy to me.
:Customer: "You want HOW MUCH ?" " Just to replace the battery !!! " Show's customer the video. Customer: "Jesus! Here, here's the money, and a $100 tip."
Bill R I think everyone was shocked about where the engineer decided to put that. The fact that the negative terminal is the only one accessible, shows he knew at least that much, it's still insane. It's a money grab though, they did it on purpose obviously. Now it leads to the question of, if they are that hard up to get you back in the dealership, where else did they try to save money?
Absolutelly Fantastic! Before i sawthis, i had been in search for the battery on my 2015 ATS. Now i know where it is! I was even under the car looking for it. Thanks very much for sharing. Saved me a lot of time and frustration. THANKS AGAIN.
I agree!!! GM engineering insanity at its best. Give me a car that has air, tilt, and cruise, and its fully loaded in my opinion. Now the Corvette uses tire temperature to determine if tires are at max adhesion. You can't use full throttle until the sensors say it's OK! When they give the computer the "all clear" signal, your "safe" to use full throttle!!! Too many "nannys" for me......
Hey MR ERIC , been watching a lot of your vids while under quarantine in MERILLVILLE INDIANA. Thanks for the knowledge and getting us through some bad times ! Keep up the good work and be safe bud !
FANTASTIC VIDEO IM REPLACING BATTERY ON 2017 CTS-V.. Cadillac wanted $350 for ac Delco battery and Labor. (.I Don't like Delco batteries) I bought an interstate battery at Costco For $200 and I am doing this replacement my self...Only with the help of this detailed video. Great Great Video !!!!
When I was a kid i worked at the Chevron station in my town. In the mid 70's we sold Atlas tires, batteries, wiper blades, etc. A guy in a *perfect* 61 Corvette came in needing a battery. In those cars the battery is located behind the right front tire, if I recall correctly you had to remove some HVAC ductwork, a fender brace and snake the old battery up around the manifold, fender etc. The owner of the car was watching me like a hawk and every time I would bump something, rub against the fender he would say something. Finally after about 30 minutes I had everything back together and was about to slap the guy... Then the car wouldn't start. The owner was irate to say the least. Finally the owner of the station told him to get his ______ ___________ out of there and never come back under any circumstances. I pushed the car out in the street, after an hour or so someone hauled it away.
My worst battery change was on my 2007 Chevrolet Silverado. @50 miles after changing the battery the blend doors opened wide open and the heater was on full blast in the middle of summer while i was on a trip so I had to live with it for 150 miles on a 100 plus day. I looked at the trouble of changing a blend door at my brothers house. Thanks to a utube video I decided to try unhooking the battery again for about 20 minutes and it all went back to working as normal. Thank goodness because I was 1200 miles away from home.
wow, my CTS has a nice little hatch with velcro toolless releases for the terminal connections, and i think it needs a 10mm for the hold down... hardest part was finding a 10mm socket.
Wonderful video. This is really descriptive and informative. However I'm kicking myself now because I own an ATS and need to change the battery soon. This process from G M is truly insane.
When I bought a battery for my '98 S-10 they informed me they couldn't install it for me. The battery is right under the hood, easy as pie to access. They claimed it was a "complicated install" because it used a side-terminal battery. Thankfully I wouldn't have LET them install it, I wouldn't trust those guys to screw in a light bulb.
I work for Advance in Austin. No way I'd get anywhere NEAR that battery. We tell 'em to take it to the dealer, and walk away. I've done some Dodges, Challengers and Chargers, they suck, esp. if the customer has 10 tons of crap in the trunk. Worst one I ever did was on a Jeep SUV. Under passenger seat. Got terminals loose, moved seat forward, pull bolts. Move seat back, pull bolts, the unplug air bag terminal and rest of electrical connectors, remove seat. Install battery, re-install seat. GM ripped me a new one for all that work. Never again, LOL. RUN!!!!!
@@MrPrepared1 Yes, the newer (WK2) Grand Cherokees have the battery under the front passenger seat. I understand the reasoning behind it, but it doesn't make the DIY's job any easier, that's for sure. By the way, it's not as difficult as you describe: move seat forward, take out battery, put in new battery, move seat back. The seat does not have to be removed to replace the battery on these models. The problem comes when the old battery is dead enough that it won't move the seat forward enough to access that battery....
Man I don't care if it's just a battery change I just enjoy watching your videos. Hell you binge watch Indiana Jones I do the same with SMA. Keep up the great work man.
hello love your videos. Iam a DAV from vietnam time ex jet engine mechanic . .it is nice to have some understanding of cars.. thank you again .what a help.
I had a chuckle at about 29 min. in when you were checking for the last christmas tree. I immediately thought : it's under the battery! where else would it be?
I like the fact that they just made a small hole to take a look at the battery, but not make that whole big enough to let i through, its like the engineerings wanted to laugh in your face, what were they thinking designing this :)
Honestly you could probably just make two small incisions to make the hole wider, fit the battery out and new one in, then fold the carpet right back down with your two little slits in the carpet barely visible.
@@masonhales if it were my own, I would have went at it with a box cutter and been done with it. Now, when I'm working on a customers car. Going to do it right and they'll have to pay for the labor.
Well, looks like they only exposed the negative terminal. That access panel is likely only there to be able to disconnect the battery via the negative wire...
Just had to revive my Dad's 2020 CT4 that had been sitting for a year and a half. Process was nearly identical, but: 1. No trim on the underside of the trunk ceiling but there's an additional trim piece behind the drop-down seats that needs to get taken out to effectively remove the quarter panel trim 2. The tie-down fasteners use a T40 drive 3. The distribution panel that attaches to the positive terminal is about twice as large I don't have a fancy tool for removing the christmas tree fasteners but I have a small pair of bent-needlenose pliers that slide in under the "cap" and grip the root so you can pull it out by levering the tool. But all the little tips and tricks mentioned in this video make for a successful install that would have taken me four times as long without this video to show me the way and remove the fear of pulling on something important too hard. I probably wouldn't have thought about salvaging the vent plug from the old battery to put in the new one either. You got yourself a high-value video here.
I saw the title of this video and then I looked at how long it is and thought a 30 minute video to replace a battery. When I saw it is a caddy well let me say I'll go hungry before I have another caddy in my shop. Good luck and I'm sure you will get er done
Keep up the good work and great content Eric, love all the content, from the educational points and even the laughs you bring! I can always count on some knowledge and a smile!
It's getting harder every year. It doesn't seem that long ago when I could sit in the engine bay and work on a motor .Now you are lucky to see an oil filter ..It's crazy ..Great video ,Cheers from Tassie Australia.
Hi, Eric. Wow. I have been out of touch for so long. I had no idea that the Caddy battery was even in the trunk buried under layers of carpeting and plastic and connected to subsystems that could be ruined if you left the key turned on. Thanks for the lesson and "how to" video. If I had my druthers, I would probably buy a Caddy. My dad always leased a new one every year. That's a good way to avoid a lot of repair and maintenance costs, I guess. It sure is great if you can manage it. Thanks for sharing! Stay Healthy!
Wow. A friend wanted me to change the battery in his ATS, im having second thoughts about this. Had no idea it was this much of a PITA. Thanks Cadillac clowns. Great video !! Thanks for the help in saving a butt load of time.
Proud parents of an engineer!!! Ha I laugh at those stickers. I feel like pulling up to those people and tell them what their kid is putting us through!
I’ve had to change the little Battery in my 07 Prius twice, that’s a pain in the hoo hoo buried under the trunk like the caddy, both times in the AP parking lot in Chicago in January , temp 10 below just when batteries like to die
Heads up, 04-09 Prius owner. Twice a year check for water underneath the 12 V battery. If you find water you need to silicone the trunk's top rain channels. It is a common problem.
Kind of tempting to just rip it a bigger opening isn't it? The VW's with the batteries under the driver's seat are annoying, but the Chrysler wheel well batteries are the worst. That Caddy is pretty stupid too. Do you ever use a jumper pack to keep the vehicle powered up while you change the battery?
The Vw battery under the seat takes the cake for me I mean how many people have an m10 triple square socket just lying around. It's one of those tools you don't even know exists until you need it to remove the seat to change the battery.
I just had to look..GM wants $125 for that new positive cable. That SOB runs from the LR trunk corner to the starter! Just think how much labor it would be to replace that positive cable 🤣. Stay classy GM!
I would recommend the national treasure movies for your next movie night. I think you might enjoy them. Stay safe and healthy to you and your family. Thanks for the videos.
Eric- you are absolutely correct about staying away from strong magnets if you have a pacemaker. Though it probably wouldn't kill you , it typically temporarily changes the rate and function of the pacer. That battery change was actually very similar to doing one on a BMW 328i e93 convertible- it's very unpleasant and hard to pull an H8 battery out without handles too! Hopefully, that AGM will last...
Hold up. When u said u may look like a hack a percentage of the time....i had to stop the vid n comment....dude i just started watching your vids a few days ago n i bet ive told just about everyone ive talk to about how awesome n how u go the extra mile to make sure everything is perfect. U have my respect brother.....no hackery going on here
What an absolute Charlie Fox of a design for a battery location and the job required to change it. Imagine this not being done by one of the top mechanics.
I think this is a great moment to thank all those engineers and designers for the wonderful and amazing job they do building modern cars. It takes a lot of dedication and knowledge to take one of the most simplistic and easy maintenance related jobs on a car and turn it into a total Rube Goldberg event!
David Mm Well said.
Battery isn’t hard to replace lol ,just gotta use a little ingenuity.
Hey, just wanted to say the removal and installation was pretty much the same on my 2017 ATS with start stop. After I replace the battery, I checked everything and it was fine without doing anything else. FYI.
Thank you!
That was absolutely insane. All that work to pull & replace a battery. I miss my '68 Olds Toronado. You could open the hood, sit on the fenders (without risk of crumpling them) and have room for you and 2-3 friends. The only PITA was about a mile of vacuum lines that got old, hard and crumbly in the worst places. Vacuum ran everything. Headlight covers were vacuum actuated, they made such a satisfying clunk when they opened and closed. Car was amazing in snow, 455cid, giant bell housing, full size tranny, all the sheet metal (I swear the hood weighed half a VW!) sitting on the drive wheels. Miss that car. Don't miss buying gas for it. Was getting 8-10 mpg on good days. WAY less if my foot got feisty. Oh, and it had THE coolest speedometer ever.
Wow. Whomever designed this cluster should be forced to replace the battery to see what he or she has created. Thank You for being so patient and thorough. Great Job!
Welcome back to the self-made autumn channel.
that damn pollen is a killer.
Cannot unhear
You must have captions on too
brummers that’s my favourite one 😂
My 2014 CTS is exactly the same. Thanks to your video, I was able to swap my battery in about 15-20 minutes. I could have done it without watching, but it was sure nice knowing what to expect. Thanks!
8:58 Those plastic washers are to help on the assembly line. Holds the Christmas trees to the panel as an assembly. Pull the part off the cart and everything is there ready to go.
Yup came here to say this. if he had of just pushed them in one rib of those washers he would of had them all hanging there ready to go.
Thank you for that. I was trying to figure out why those were there. I was also wondering if it mattered that he missed them on reassembly. Now I know it doesn't matter. Thanks!
Right you are old chum
@@johnwargo2590 Who you calling old? Now get off my lawn, you are supposed to be self isolating. LOL
I looked up this morning on the GM labor time guide. Warranty time is .9 to replace the battery. Just an FYI. Keep up the videos. Even a battery is a nice break from reality of these days. Keep up the good work!!
Almost an hour. For a battery.
That's an engineer that had a abusive father who was a mechanic.
almost as bad as my mercedes rear license plate lights....sheesh I had to break the rear trim just to get them out. they couldn't just put regular bulbs that twist and pull out...they had to put big square modules that are expensive. fuckers.
@Robert Slackware through the car, not under. And it's fused.
Hahaha! So true
I would have thought a Chinese person like how they put toys in boxes now. There’s so many ties and it’s a stuffed animal.
I don't think gm would have designed that cover so ridiculously before they went bankrupt. I think I would have recommended cutting the trim panel above the battery and duct taping it back together afterward. Done in 10 minutes.
Thank you for taking the time to shoot such a detailed procedure. The procedure for a 2016 ATS is identical. It is unreal how difficult it is compared to the procedure for a 2009 CTS, which is a breeze. This video got me out of a jam.
As senior engineer on this project, I recommend building the car around the the battery, which will be embedded in the trunk!
I konw it doesn't sound logical, but, think about it. It will be soo clean looking!
And as junior engineer I suggest that the blower motor must be where the front of the car is assembled around !
Management to senior engineer - "think about how we get more billable hours for dealers". Engineer to management - "there, that design will do the trick and chase away those nasty DIYers".
@@beyondrepair8949 You guys ain't good engineers, everyone knows you hang the
heater core on the assembly line, then build the car around it... That way, the
replacement of the heater core takes more time to replace than building the
vehicle in the first place...
I owned a 1971 mustang Boss 351 the battery was in the trunk, it could be changed in 10 minutes if you didn't have a clue what you were doing!
You are such an honest business man. All of your customers should be thanking you for working on their cars. Your Mom and Dad raised you correctly... sorry you have to live in New Your State.
Battery: $135.00
Install: $300.00
Just damn crazy engineers.
Up here in Canada my friend needed to replace the battery in her Mercedes diesel. It cost 730.00
I like to know where you can find that AGM battery for $135. They normally are around $200
@@mikechimko8564 wtf
@@mikechimko8564 just BS. I work with mb, no that expensive battery replacement for it
@@dot7107 That's probably Canadian dollars though which makes it more like $525 US. Plus they may be paying higher duties on imported materials etc. Just food for thought.
Thanks for the enlightening vid on the ATS battery change. I have changed a bunch of batteries in my days but this one takes the cake. Cannot believe what you went thru to complete this one...
After working thirty years at Boeing, I firmly believe there is some sort of award given to packaging engineers for making repairs impossible
I always felt like they always promote the idiot that made the biggest screwup just to pull him out of the picture so couldn't mess it up any more. An the guy above him made some kinda bigger screwup and on up the chain till you get to top management.
@@eldonerc2524 Advancing to there level of incompetence; That is what I was told.
Read "The Peter Principle "
@Mike S. I truly miss my R/D days at Boeing even though I still have a well stocked electronic hobby room
@Mike S. My step-dad worked for Lockheed in the early 60's. We lived right down the street on Hollywood Way. He walked to work.
Eric O, I just want to thank you for this video. It really saved me some money. I own a 2018 CTS and it was almost identical to your ATS. If it hadn’t been for your video I would’ve been afraid to attempt this myself.
Following your good step-by-step directions, I was able to install my new battery.
I really appreciate how experts like yourself are willing to offer free information to help others.
I subbed to your channel and clicked the thumbs up.
From one TH-camr to another, thanks again.
Take care my friend!
Yes seem here .. I was debating on if I should take to shop or do it myself tell I saw this video
I have the same Cts, was the battery change a PITA or very similar to this the Ats in this video? I bought the battery but discovered - whoa it's buried in the trunk. Thanks in advance!
@@corvette2006vert yes, mine was in the trunk also. You just have to take a few things apart. Looks more complicated than it really is. just take your time and take photos that’s when I did.
@@DaveDabomb Thank you for your help! With the XTS you have to reprogram wout the ith putting the windows up and down I read, so wasn't sure about the CTS. Thanks again!
Chrysler: we came up with the dumbest spot to put batteries
GM: hold my beer
I remember my 300M, having the battery in the bumper. First time I had ever seen anything like that. Thankfully I never had to replace it.
The old Stratus' and such had their batteries buried inside the driver front wheel well
Battery in my Charger is in the trunk, but it's accessible pull up the spare tire cover. No disassembling half of the inside of the trunk to get to it.
@@Jlieg Chrysler Sebring - same rough location. Most idiotic place for a battery ever.
Dodge Journey hidden behind the front bumper need to remove wheel or have a lift lmao
Stay healthy man, not just for your viewers but for your family and the fine folk in Avoca.
Hey Eric... thanks for the video which explains why modern cars can be a pain in the ass to change a battery in! I worked for a couple of years at a battery store, and have changed hundreds of batteries. These Cadillacs (and some other GM vehicles) are excellent examples of "when replacing your car's battery is NOT a DIY project"! And by the way, 'AGM' stands for "Absorbed Glass Mat", which is basically fiberglass stuffed into each cell of the battery!
Went from dead tired to all charged up on this R & R video !!!!! Took more time to remove the battery coverings than to remove and install the battery itself !!!!! Good job, Eric O. !!!!! Another top quality highly professional job done at the nefarious SMA !!!!!!!
Iv'e been a subscriber for over three years now (on my personal account and now this account) and have probably watched all of your videos at least once and sometime even two or three times. I just want to say thank you for all your hard work you do to bring us these great videos. Making videos isn't nearly as easy as it looks, I'm learning that with the makings of with my own videos.
Please do us all a favor and make sure you and your family stay safe. I know that I can say this for a lot of people, we wouldn't want any harm cast upon you or your family.
So be sure to wear glove and wash your hands regularly. :)
I just wanna say thanks for all the videos you do. I had some no crank no start no comm issues with my gmc sierra this last Saturday and thanks to a few SMA videos i figured out the problem with a little testing and got her running. I owe you one Eric O! Thanks!!
Me: Wow, changing that head gasket on my GM was a pain in the ass.
GM: Wait till your battery needs changing.
E C all depends if you are still under warranty ; ).
Lol right?!?! You would think this was a damn exotic or something.
no doubt, that's a lot of tools to carry around in case you have to jump it or someone else.
GM: Second only to Chrysler for the stupid ideas.
Robert Slackware All depends where you live, and who you ask.
Nothin better to watch than Eric pummeling a darn Cadillac mission impossible battery! Thanks Eric...it keeps my sanity going in the crazy times we are living.....
I had an 07 Buick Lucerne with the battery under the back seat. I thought that was a pain to change but you got me with this Cadi.
Changing the front cigarette lighter:
1. Disconnect battery and all wiring harness assemblies.
2. Drain antifreeze and oil
3. Place car on the lift
4. Support the engine and remove motor mounts.
5. Hoist the engine out of the way.
6. Replace the cigarette lighter assembly
7. Reassemble in reverse order.
8. Fill antifreeze and oil.
9. Make sure that lighter works.
10. If it does not work, change the fuse - that's all that was wrong with it.
11. Charge customer accordingly ;)
Ha. Took a look at service data to remove headliner for easy access to sunroof drains in my V50. Stopped reading when it said to remove windscreen and went my own way.
Me: "How can a battery video be 30 minutes long?"
30 minutes later
Me: "Oh, it's one of THOSE."
@Chris V Ha... Great comment!
That's what I was thinking too! Haha. But low and behold, we should never doubt Eric's time.
I had to click just to see why it took so long myself.
Thats what I said too....."30 minutes for a battery? Must be a lot of "Ericism's - "Man Down", "What the Thunder!" -- "There's your problem lady!"
Thought there would be some kind of massive problem with the ECU relearning procedure. Like trying out all the scan tools, cause no one would work etc. :D
A quick thanks for this video which saved me $120 for an installation fee.
"If it sounds like its breaking its cause you're doing it right" -Eric O 2020
I recently took a door panel off a 2010 Mazda5. 9 out of 9 clips sounded like they broke, so I thought I was doing it right. Unfortunately, I only actually broke *8* out of 9. So close. :-)
Like swapping a Sound Blaster sound card.
There must be some kind of a competition where an award is awarded for the person who can design a extremely complicated solution to a formerly simple repair. This Cadillac is definitely in the running, though I do appreciate changing headlight bulbs that require you to remove front bumpers and take out windshield wiper reservoirs and/or radiator coolant tanks. You want how much to change a lightbulb???
I like the fact that the battery is away from engine heat and vibration, but buried under fixed trim pieces is a pain, but Jon is right Chrysler sticking it in the wheel well is just the best. Pretty soon some brilliant engineer will design it so you have to pull the motor to change the battery.
Just had the local shop change it today and this video makes me glad I had them just do it - that is a ridiculous amount of work
Sorry, don't have time to comment. Gotta move my house to change the front doorknob.-GM Engineer
🤣
LoL, perfect.
Because I was WFH my battery practically died and I was shocked when I looked under the hood and no battery! I had to go to YT right away! Thanks for posting!
Cadillac ATS
ALWAYS TROUBLE SERVICING😎
Ah! The ol' $300 battery job! Great job, GM. This is exactly why I do not miss working at a Caddy dealership. Good job as always, Dr. O!
I'm waiting the cops to raid the place thinking it is a chop shop. Honestly officer, I'm just replacing the battery.
My '14 Escape's battery is under the hood, but stuffed up under the windshield. Had to have the dealer replace it. Thanks for a great channel Eric.
Way more patience than me & I drive a school bus!
Eric you're not crazy, I just heard me, myself talking to each other and they said you're just fine. That 4 banger sounds a smooth as my old mix master.
Stay well!
I thought things must be slow at SMA if Eric's showing a battery replacement. Then I remembered it's a modern Cadillac, and the run time on the video was 31:40. Silly me...I should've known better.
2022 ats will probably have the battery inside the engine
WTF? 30.26 LOOKED LIKE A GHOST ORB! OR THE COCOA VIRUS NEEDS A BRAKE JOB . DONT KNOW
@@meticulouselectronics lol and the starter in the trunk...wait that's brilliant!
@@davidwildridge8080 quickly. Call gm and sell this multimillion dollar starter idea. Make sure it's made of plastic
Hell, he said it was 2014....6 years old. Just think what a new one would be like!!! Holy Crap-ola!
Just started a subscription. I learned some interesting facts about repairing vehicles watching. One thing I really is your comments and you and your wife kidd around. Also to see how you have taken younger people to help them learn the trade. I wish nothing but the best and keep up the good work.
This reminded me of another Cadillac feature on the Northstar V8 - Starter under the intake manifold.
Let's not go there, a number of manufacturers have done that...
But the starter was SO protected!! I have always bought GM products. Key word: HAVE. After this POS CTS AWD PREMIUM (the only "premium" is the constant repair prices!) is worth more than I owe, it'll be someone else's problem. Hope I don't get arrested after the sale for attempted terrorism, or some shit like that. I honestly feel bad for the poor SOB who ends up owning it.
I ignored this video for a few days, but just had to install a new battery in my 2016 Mazda 3s, so this grabbed my interest all of a sudden. That battery was gravy despite looking a bit fancy. It has the weird extra components all over the positive terminal, but fortunately just came off with the lug. And now i know what to call those weird "christmas tree" clips, so major win. Stay safe!
Eric you got it all wrong, there’s an easier way, start at the front, remove grill headlight , front bumper cooling system engine etc until u get to the trunk
Easier way is a sawzall but customer wont be happy
@@Newberntrains and i own an ats
@@MegaBbqbbq well i guess this is what the chilton manual wont tell ya 😂 350 for a battery change with labor probably
Bout like a Ford truck.
Step 1: remove cab
Step 2: ???????
Step 3: profit.
Typical VW/Audi repair process.
My Diehard replacement battery came with a vent plug attached to the positive cover. I've been needing to reattach the magnets on that upper trim piece for some time now. This was the perfect time to do it.
Car engineers should be required to work in a repair shop for a min of two years.
They would end up hating themselves if they did
The reason they do that kind of shit is they want every body to return to the dealer for service, if they made it easy to do nobody would go to a dealer to replace a battery!
They're designing cars on PC never seen anything in real .He can takeout that battery on auto cad software in 10 s
As an Automotive engineer, i can agree. When i worked for one of the Big 3 US auto manufacturers, i was amazed at the number of engineers in the performance group that had never turned a wrench.
Good idea brotha but maybe they would be stuck running wires to the battery. I'm talking fixing the problem when someone decides they are an electrician, cut the starter cable, and re send it a completely different way. Anyone here would scratch their head and ask "why?". This would of been great for Eric to fix and comment on. By the way, the starter cables and ground were fine, the starter was junk. How did I know this BEFORE Mr electrical master had a go? I already told the lady she needed a new starter. I was actually gonna do it for her, that's when Mr hot shit electrical genius rolled up. To this day I have NEVER seen ANYTHING like the way this guy attempted to rewire this. It was an absolute joke! Long comment but I'm just getting friendly with the peace pipe!
Glad to see you are still working. Here in Colorado it has slowed way down.
I have been getting more big jobs lately. Rod knocks, massive leaks, OBD 1 stuff. Not really what I want to do at my age.
The Malibu fuel sending unit video comes to mind...
"The engineers at GM couldn't fix a sandwich!"
Fine china engineering.
They'd mess up a one truck convoy! As screwed up as a soup sandwich!
You funny🥪🥪🥪
As someone with a Malibu that needs to switch out the fuel sending unit, this is 100% accurate.
I hope you and the kids and Ms O are doing well. I've been watching here in Canada and truely appreciate your efforts and generosity. I'm old and broke so can' afford much but watch adds ans talk you up. Thanks!
Ah! I did one of these recently. Love my ATS.
If you love them so much I got mine for sale lightly used looks beautiful just needs a battery 😂
Some great nuggets of info including the AGM battery, avoiding disabling onstar internal battery, avoiding the negative battery post during recharge and learning that I'm not the only one who breaks those christmas tree connectors from time to time. Thank you. .Craig
Owner : "You want HOW MUCH ?"
" Just to replace the battery !!! "
They just don't get it.
gatekeeper65 Those Christmas tree fasteners don't mail themselves! I find this to be so insanly unnecessary
BUT! I'd have to look under the hood to see why. It's still crazy to me.
I'm askin' how much you got.. (slams wrench into palm threateningly)
:Customer: "You want HOW MUCH ?"
" Just to replace the battery !!! "
Show's customer the video.
Customer: "Jesus! Here, here's the money, and a $100 tip."
Bill R I think everyone was shocked about where the engineer decided to put that. The fact that the negative terminal is the only one accessible, shows he knew at least that much, it's still insane. It's a money grab though, they did it on purpose obviously. Now it leads to the question of, if they are that hard up to get you back in the dealership, where else did they try to save money?
GM NEVER will. This from a lifetime GM buyer. I'm done with them. Shoulda been done with them 30 years ago. Oh well, better late than never!!
Absolutelly Fantastic! Before i sawthis, i had been in search for the battery on my 2015 ATS. Now i know where it is! I was even under the car looking for it. Thanks very much for sharing. Saved me a lot of time and frustration. THANKS AGAIN.
I’m glad I was a mechanic back in the 70’s and 80’s. I would not have the patience today. All this to replace a battery😂
I agree!!! GM engineering insanity at its best. Give me a car that has air, tilt, and cruise, and its fully loaded in my opinion. Now the Corvette uses tire temperature to determine if tires are at max adhesion. You can't use full throttle until the sensors say it's OK! When they give the computer the "all clear" signal, your "safe" to use full throttle!!! Too many "nannys" for me......
Hey MR ERIC , been watching a lot of your vids while under quarantine in MERILLVILLE INDIANA. Thanks for the knowledge and getting us through some bad times ! Keep up the good work and be safe bud !
tony foster same deal except i’m over in lansing illinois!
Worked in Lansing 21 years @ Aramark 2200 Bernice rd !😎
@@djhaloeight stay safe friend !😎
Battery Cost: $190
Installation Cost: $200
SMA video: Priceless!
FANTASTIC VIDEO IM REPLACING BATTERY ON 2017 CTS-V.. Cadillac wanted $350 for ac Delco battery and Labor. (.I Don't like Delco batteries) I bought an interstate battery at Costco For $200 and I am doing this replacement my self...Only with the help of this detailed video. Great Great Video !!!!
When I was a kid i worked at the Chevron station in my town. In the mid 70's we sold Atlas tires, batteries, wiper blades, etc. A guy in a *perfect* 61 Corvette came in needing a battery. In those cars the battery is located behind the right front tire, if I recall correctly you had to remove some HVAC ductwork, a fender brace and snake the old battery up around the manifold, fender etc. The owner of the car was watching me like a hawk and every time I would bump something, rub against the fender he would say something. Finally after about 30 minutes I had everything back together and was about to slap the guy... Then the car wouldn't start. The owner was irate to say the least. Finally the owner of the station told him to get his ______ ___________ out of there and never come back under any circumstances. I pushed the car out in the street, after an hour or so someone hauled it away.
Now you work at Advance Auto?
I'm a female just bought a 2015 ATS. This was very eye opening. Loved the detail information!!! Problem solved...
I love GM and ford products. Because they always remind me how blessed I am to drive a 20 year old Toyota.
My worst battery change was on my 2007 Chevrolet Silverado. @50 miles after changing the battery the blend doors opened wide open and the heater was on full blast in the middle of summer while i was on a trip so I had to live with it for 150 miles on a 100 plus day. I looked at the trouble of changing a blend door at my brothers house. Thanks to a utube video I decided to try unhooking the battery again for about 20 minutes and it all went back to working as normal. Thank goodness because I was 1200 miles away from home.
wow, my CTS has a nice little hatch with velcro toolless releases for the terminal connections, and i think it needs a 10mm for the hold down... hardest part was finding a 10mm socket.
shitbox
After installing the battery, do you always charge jump start in the hood on a 14-19 CTS?
Wonderful video. This is really descriptive and informative.
However I'm kicking myself now because I own an ATS and need to change the battery soon. This process from G M is truly insane.
Don't you love it when the customer has half of Wally World's inventory in the backseat or trunk and you need to get in there?
Wow!! The crazy stuff on cars these days! You're one sharp dude to remember all that stuff!
Can you imagine the experience an ATS owner would have with the "FREE" battery replacement at one of the autopart chain stores?
We wouldn't touch it. We have a list that they won't let us touch.those dodges in the wheel wells are at the top.😅
When I bought a battery for my '98 S-10 they informed me they couldn't install it for me. The battery is right under the hood, easy as pie to access. They claimed it was a "complicated install" because it used a side-terminal battery. Thankfully I wouldn't have LET them install it, I wouldn't trust those guys to screw in a light bulb.
I work for Advance in Austin. No way I'd get anywhere NEAR that battery. We tell 'em to take it to the dealer, and walk away. I've done some Dodges, Challengers and Chargers, they suck, esp. if the customer has 10 tons of crap in the trunk. Worst one I ever did was on a Jeep SUV. Under passenger seat. Got terminals loose, moved seat forward, pull bolts. Move seat back, pull bolts, the unplug air bag terminal and rest of electrical connectors, remove seat. Install battery, re-install seat. GM ripped me a new one for all that work. Never again, LOL. RUN!!!!!
@@MrPrepared1 Yes, the newer (WK2) Grand Cherokees have the battery under the front passenger seat. I understand the reasoning behind it, but it doesn't make the DIY's job any easier, that's for sure. By the way, it's not as difficult as you describe: move seat forward, take out battery, put in new battery, move seat back. The seat does not have to be removed to replace the battery on these models. The problem comes when the old battery is dead enough that it won't move the seat forward enough to access that battery....
@@G31mR Well, seeing I hadn't done one before then, I might have gone a bit overboard with the procedure...
Man I don't care if it's just a battery change I just enjoy watching your videos. Hell you binge watch Indiana Jones I do the same with SMA. Keep up the great work man.
I was always unlikely to own a Cadillac, but now it's certain !!
hello love your videos. Iam a DAV from vietnam time ex jet engine mechanic . .it is nice to have some understanding of cars.. thank you again .what a help.
I had a chuckle at about 29 min. in when you were checking for the last christmas tree.
I immediately thought : it's under the battery! where else would it be?
Been a fan for years. So nice to hear you say don't be afraid.
I like the fact that they just made a small hole to take a look at the battery, but not make that whole big enough to let i through, its like the engineerings wanted to laugh in your face, what were they thinking designing this :)
Honestly you could probably just make two small incisions to make the hole wider, fit the battery out and new one in, then fold the carpet right back down with your two little slits in the carpet barely visible.
@@masonhales if it were my own, I would have went at it with a box cutter and been done with it. Now, when I'm working on a customers car. Going to do it right and they'll have to pay for the labor.
Well, looks like they only exposed the negative terminal. That access panel is likely only there to be able to disconnect the battery via the negative wire...
Just had to revive my Dad's 2020 CT4 that had been sitting for a year and a half. Process was nearly identical, but:
1. No trim on the underside of the trunk ceiling but there's an additional trim piece behind the drop-down seats that needs to get taken out to effectively remove the quarter panel trim
2. The tie-down fasteners use a T40 drive
3. The distribution panel that attaches to the positive terminal is about twice as large
I don't have a fancy tool for removing the christmas tree fasteners but I have a small pair of bent-needlenose pliers that slide in under the "cap" and grip the root so you can pull it out by levering the tool. But all the little tips and tricks mentioned in this video make for a successful install that would have taken me four times as long without this video to show me the way and remove the fear of pulling on something important too hard. I probably wouldn't have thought about salvaging the vent plug from the old battery to put in the new one either. You got yourself a high-value video here.
Wonder why they did' not put it in the gas tank.
YA, NO SHIT.
😂😂😂
Trust me , that was probably considered !
Only because it would have cost them more. The roof rack mounted solution was rejected for the same reason.
I saw the title of this video and then I looked at how long it is and thought a 30 minute video to replace a battery. When I saw it is a caddy well let me say I'll go hungry before I have another caddy in my shop. Good luck and I'm sure you will get er done
Keep up the good work and great content Eric, love all the content, from the educational points and even the laughs you bring! I can always count on some knowledge and a smile!
It's getting harder every year. It doesn't seem that long ago when I could sit in the engine bay and work on a motor .Now you are lucky to see an oil filter ..It's crazy ..Great video ,Cheers from Tassie Australia.
@15:10 "Those old ones, the ones from the '14s" you crack me up MrO! :D
Back in those days I swear you could change a car battery in 30 minutes flat.
Hi, Eric. Wow. I have been out of touch for so long. I had no idea that the Caddy battery was even in the trunk buried under layers of carpeting and plastic and connected to subsystems that could be ruined if you left the key turned on. Thanks for the lesson and "how to" video. If I had my druthers, I would probably buy a Caddy. My dad always leased a new one every year. That's a good way to avoid a lot of repair and maintenance costs, I guess. It sure is great if you can manage it. Thanks for sharing! Stay Healthy!
Five minutes into this procedure I would have the side cutters and razor blades out and ready to go.
Thanks again Mr O. for making my stay at home requirement more bearable.
to be honest, when I clicked this video, I expected like 10 minutes, like free tip monday, not a half hour!. WOW
wow what a production. Last caddy i worked on .was mid 70's coupe deville beautiful boat 472 beast.
*Coughs* "Oh man must be the Corona" 😂🤣😂
I keep saying the same thing last days xD
Had a 1970 Corona. great car!!!
Just add some limes, makes it taste better.😳😬🍺😖
Wow. A friend wanted me to change the battery in his ATS, im having second thoughts about this. Had no idea it was this much of a PITA. Thanks Cadillac clowns. Great video !! Thanks for the help in saving a butt load of time.
Proud parents of an engineer!!! Ha I laugh at those stickers. I feel like pulling up to those people and tell them what their kid is putting us through!
Ur not the most expensive..nor the least expensive. But ur the most honest . And that says more than anything.
I’ve had to change the little Battery in my 07 Prius twice, that’s a pain in the hoo hoo buried under the trunk like the caddy, both times in the AP parking lot in Chicago in January , temp 10 below just when batteries like to die
Heads up, 04-09 Prius owner. Twice a year check for water underneath the 12 V battery. If you find water you need to silicone the trunk's top rain channels. It is a common problem.
I thought this would be boring but I was wrong I've learned so much thanks Eric 👍
Kind of tempting to just rip it a bigger opening isn't it?
The VW's with the batteries under the driver's seat are annoying, but the Chrysler wheel well batteries are the worst. That Caddy is pretty stupid too.
Do you ever use a jumper pack to keep the vehicle powered up while you change the battery?
I know, just take a saw and lift it out. I'd prolly recommend that to my customers if I ran a shop.
The Vw battery under the seat takes the cake for me I mean how many people have an m10 triple square socket just lying around. It's one of those tools you don't even know exists until you need it to remove the seat to change the battery.
@@cdman78564 the vw battery is a 10 minute job. I've done it plenty of times with my old touareg
Thank you for this video! This works of the 2015 as well. Everything was the same.
I just had to look..GM wants $125 for that new positive cable. That SOB runs from the LR trunk corner to the starter! Just think how much labor it would be to replace that positive cable 🤣. Stay classy GM!
Sir,that is their Cadillac line which is exclusive just by the emblem design.
I would recommend the national treasure movies for your next movie night. I think you might enjoy them. Stay safe and healthy to you and your family. Thanks for the videos.
Nice frame-off restoration. I would have reached for my utility knife and made "short" work of that carpet.
Eric- you are absolutely correct about staying away from strong magnets if you have a pacemaker. Though it probably wouldn't kill you , it typically temporarily changes the rate and function of the pacer. That battery change was actually very similar to doing one on a BMW 328i e93 convertible- it's very unpleasant and hard to pull an H8 battery out without handles too! Hopefully, that AGM will last...
What JD Power award did GM get for the battery placement?
JD POWER are shills for the auto industry, don't believe anything they say about ANY vehicle.
@@OldDunollieman They say whatever they get paid to say!!
It’s only for initial quality.
So basically how good there plants put cars together without too many fuck ups on the line. People or parts.
Hold up. When u said u may look like a hack a percentage of the time....i had to stop the vid n comment....dude i just started watching your vids a few days ago n i bet ive told just about everyone ive talk to about how awesome n how u go the extra mile to make sure everything is perfect. U have my respect brother.....no hackery going on here
Don’t let a Cadillac engineer redesign the wheel, he’ll probably make it square
What an absolute Charlie Fox of a design for a battery location and the job required to change it. Imagine this not being done by one of the top mechanics.