Are we supposed to refill the battery fluid when it gets low? I tried looking though the plastic on the side of the battery and I don’t see any level, I can’t see any fluid at all. I’m assuming this is bad, but I just want to make sure that we need to refill our battery before I attempt to crack open mine. And do those +’s just turn to open them, any tools required, should I disconnect the battery first? And how often do I need to fill the battery? Can I just fill it and I’m done or should I drive it around after I fill it.

I got my safety goggles and my distilled water ready, I just needed some info first, wanted to check with the forum.

Thanks.

 

Its really hard to see the acid level thru the battery case. Remove the battery caps with a wide blade screwdriver and fill the cells to just over the battery plates when looking into the hole. You don't have to disconnect the battery. In the summer I would check the level every month or so.

 

All batteries manufactured now, to the best of my knowledge, are all sealed. The should be no reason to open up a battery.

 

The stock 2000 battery, which I still use, is a low-maintenance type with cell caps. I imagine a lot of Maxima batteries are like that.

 

This is an inaccurate statement. My 2K1 has a maint battery and my buddies 2K2 Pathfinder has a maint battery as well. Both of course have these maint batteries from the factory.

If the battery has access caps on top, its most likely a maint battery and needs to be properly maintained. Especially if its a factory battery. Be careful opening and of course dont have flame around (possible hydrogen around) and like stated above, fill with distilled water (as you already have) and just above the plates and you should be good to go.

You will have to open EACH access cap as each cap provides access to a single compartment (at least with mine it did).

I dont know if specifically it needs to be run after filling, but when I top off mine...I do it just before an errand anyway.

Good luck!

 

Thanks for the replies, one other question do I screw them off or pull them off, I got a whole bunch of +'s, I guess I'll just start turning them and if they don't come off I'll start pulling.

 

Well I stand corrected. I have never looked at my battery. I used to work at a parts store, so most replacement batteries that you find at auto parts store are no-maint. I guess factory batteries are not.

 

turn the small ***** counterclockwise and remove them one at a time (with a small plier 1st then use your fingers) when filling the small hole with distilled H20. the best setting to see the fluid level is in the dark with flashlight shining about 1-2 cm away from the casing. you should see something dark inside the white casing; and that's the level the battery acid is at. play with the angle a bit.

mine was low when i opened them up. the only concern i had was with the minute pellets of sand that surrounded the ***** on top. inevitably some fell inside the compartments while H20 was being added. i guess it's fine since sand won't get oxidized/reduced by the the acid.

there's also some schpeal (sp?) on this in the manual.