I've been quoted £120 for battery replacement by the dealers.

A new Bosch battery is about £80.

How difficult is it to DIY replace the battery on a 2.5 tdi auto? Any special tools needed?

Any pointers/guidance/encouragement welcome.

Not hard to do, no special tools needed either - but the battery is a very tight fit, so it's not as easy as some cars, it's position also makes it 'kin heavy to remove as you are at full stretch.

Make sure you have the radio code (or the code is turned off - read the manual to find out how) otherwise it may prompt you for the code afterwards, mine did exactly this after around the 4th time the battery was disconnected (the first three times the car recognised the radio so no code was needed, but somehow the last time it didn't )

I had a go this afternoon but it was IMPOSSIBLE to remove. It looks like the wipers and the plastic fairing will need removing before it will come out. There also appears to be a bar at the front which helps secure it. There also a wiring loom/conduit at the front which needs removing. What a crazy place to put it? In my old Cortina the battery could be replaced in two minutes, was at the side of the car and held on by one rusty bolt!

I've got a replacement battery but am out of ideas. It looks like the dealer or ATS for me!

Anyway took the opportunity to clean out the pollen filter and all the associated crud.

If anyone can lend a hand I'm near Guildford - happy to travel (within reason)

Thnaks

I had a go this afternoon but it was IMPOSSIBLE to remove. It looks like the wipers and the plastic fairing will need removing before it will come out. There also appears to be a bar at the front which helps secure it. There also a wiring loom/conduit at the front which needs removing. What a crazy place to put it? In my old Cortina the battery could be replaced in two minutes, was at the side of the car and held on by one rusty bolt!

I've got a replacement battery but am out of ideas. It looks like the dealer or ATS for me!

Anyway took the opportunity to clean out the pollen filter and all the associated crud.

If anyone can lend a hand I'm near Guildford - happy to travel (within reason)

Thnaks

Mike, GSF would be the cheapest option, as for removal it's a beach to say the least, take off the wiper panel to expose the battery,servo and pollen filter, to the drivers side of the battery undo the clamp, you will need an extention btw, next undo the terminals and drain off hose, then with confidence prise the main harness forwards with your hands until the clips pull clear of the baulkhead ridge, you can then from the ns pull and tilt the battery towards you and lift it out 45 degs almost to it's original angle, reverse to fit.

ps, it's heavy, so you might want someone to help you, and it pays to lay something over the wing to stop scratching or dents should you lose control of it for a second.

Edited 21 December, 200916 yr by Supurbia

Phone your osteopath before attempting battery removal on a B5.5.

Only VAG could make a job which normally takes a few minutes on any other car into a backbreaking tedious performance. Connect a slave battery to the socket in the boot and insulate the free positive lead when you disconnect the OE battery.

Horrible design.

rotodiesel.

Edited 21 December, 200916 yr by rotodiesel

I got down to the wiper panel and the thought the better of it as it was getting dark. I might have made it if the wipers weren't seized solid!

I'll give GSF a try. The new battery (thankfully) can go back.

My question is, 'Why is such a simple task made so difficult'? I even asked a couple of local tyre/exhaust people who didn't ring back when they found it was 'under the windscreen'!

£123 from the local dealer - wouldn't have something to do with it? Make it so difficult that the only option is to take it to the dealer?

I've got to do this job soon. Dreading it.

I got down to the wiper panel and the thought the better of it as it was getting dark. I might have made it if the wipers weren't seized solid!

I'll give GSF a try. The new battery (thankfully) can go back.

My question is, 'Why is such a simple task made so difficult'? I even asked a couple of local tyre/exhaust people who didn't ring back when they found it was 'under the windscreen'!

£123 from the local dealer - wouldn't have something to do with it? Make it so difficult that the only option is to take it to the dealer?

Whilst youv've got the plastic panel of it might be worth you removing any built up crap from around the pollen filter housing, theres a very small water drain channel near the seams off the wing and body work thats gets bunged up with crap that then contributes to the water ingress into the passenger footwell and the subsequent interior light node connection corrosion. I do this regulary as I dont want the £700 bill for repairs.

There is a walk through on removing the battery (to clear the plenum chamber out) here

There is a walk through on removing the battery (to clear the plenum chamber out) here

Don't try to take the wipers off mate, they won't budge and you can still get it out without removing them, aim to pay £75 - £90 for one at GSF, the battery is a good one, I've had no issues with mine since fitting it 8 mths ago, and any of you reading Skoda advise to change the battery after 4 years, I didn't and I ended up needing a new alternator as well, old battery took out mthe 1st new alternator in a matter of hours, even though the battery was registering a good charge, new battery, no more light on the dash, I might be being paranoid with it, but I felt something like maybe one dead cell was enough to work the alternator too hard.

Thanks for all the advice. It's off to GSF for me.

The walkthrough is great but it wont work for the 2.5 as it must have a larger battery. The battery will not come out (it's too deep) without removing the wiper plastic panel, which means removing the wiper arms. It's also in the centre of the engine bay, so I'll let someone elses back take the strain!

Designed by a lunatic (or accountant!)

Cheers

Thanks for all the advice. It's off to GSF for me.

The walkthrough is great but it wont work for the 2.5 as it must have a larger battery. The battery will not come out (it's too deep) without removing the wiper plastic panel, which means removing the wiper arms. It's also in the centre of the engine bay, so I'll let someone elses back take the strain!

Designed by a lunatic (or accountant!)

Cheers

I had the Dealer fit mine as I knew what a cowson job this was. I think £120 is not bad - it is not easy even for the dealer.

I had the Dealer fit mine as I knew what a cowson job this was. I think £120 is not bad - it is not easy even for the dealer.

That's what I did in the end. GSF quoted £66 for the battery only only 71 Ah. The dealer fitted one is 80 Ah

You should have seen the service guys's face when I said I wanted a new battery fitted to a 2.5 diesel! I think it's a DIY job for any other model (except the 2.8 petrol). Took about 45 minutes in total.

Anyway, working fine now.

I got a quote for the cambelt change, water pump and 60K service (variable). Just shy of £1000 inc VAT! Where is Lummox?

That's what I did in the end. GSF quoted £66 for the battery only only 71 Ah. The dealer fitted one is 80 Ah

You should have seen the service guys's face when I said I wanted a new battery fitted to a 2.5 diesel! I think it's a DIY job for any other model (except the 2.8 petrol). Took about 45 minutes in total.

Anyway, working fine now.

I got a quote for the cambelt change, water pump and 60K service (variable). Just shy of £1000 inc VAT! Where is Lummox?

Thats about the same as I paid recently for mine.