Don’t forget to look up the labor when replacing a battery. You should never install a battery “free of charge”; otherwise the engine won’t start. BUT, you should always check the labor guide to see how much time it will take to replace a battery.
Some late-model vehicles put the battery in some interesting places. Some batteries can be in the trunk or under a seat. Even if the battery is under the hood, it could be hiding under a plastic cover, cowl panel or battery management module.
Some vehicles could be as little as .1 hours. While other vehicles, it could take as long as .7 hours to replace the battery. It is impossible to predict the time required. This is why it is essential to look up the labor time before quoting the customer a price. Depending on the vehicle, after the battery is installed, it might require the technician to reset the battery monitor for the new battery.
Not performing this step can damage the new battery or cause a charging light or other malfunction lights to come after the customer leaves the shop. On some Chrysler products, you might have to recalibrate the steering angle sensor before the car is given back to the customer. These services are additional labor charges for the customer’s invoice.
When a vehicle has a dead battery or no-crank condition your diagnostic labor shouldn’t be given away. Most vehicle manufacturers recommend that .5 hours is required to inspect the battery and charging system components like the alternator. Not performing this critical task and blindly replacing a battery can create a comeback because a new battery does not solve why the original battery failed in the first place.
Of course, the most critical step is to ensure that you’re selling the right product in the first place. Today’s complex machines, loaded with electronics, is likely to require a premium product – a battery with Absorbed Glass Mat technology.
Glass mat separators and reinforced plates create maximum density, providing extreme shock resistance and awesome cranking power. The pure conductive electrolyte absorbed in the glass mats activates plate surfaces for lightning-fast starts, with no terminal corrosion.
So, the next time you are thinking about just “winging it” when quoting the price of the battery for a customer, don’t forget that selecting the right battery is only the first step — look up the labor time for the vehicle and if any additional procedures are required as well. You will be making money for the shop and saving yourself a lot of grief from the tech who has to do the work.
This video is sponsored by The Network Academy.
