How To Replace a Jeep Grand Cherokee Battery?

By Nick Marchenko, PhD

The car`s battery is a crucial element that plays a pivotal role in properly functioning your Jeep Grand Cherokee. The battery is an electrical system's heart serves as the initial power required to ignite the engine. It supplies electricity to many systems such as lights, AC, radio, central locking of the doors, and others.

The newer the battery, the better its performance; the more power it produces, the better the battery capacity. However, after some usage, the battery loses its properties until it becomes out of order. To maintain your Jeep Grand Cherokee in good condition and provide stable operation of all its systems, one must occasionally change the battery.

Key Takeaways:

• The Jeep Grand Cherokee's battery plays a crucial role in powering many systems and should be changed approximately every 4-5 years.
• Signs that the Jeep Grand Cherokee battery needs replacement include dull headlights, flashing dashboard lights, difficulty starting, and corrosion on battery terminals.
• When replacing the battery, it's essential to follow safety measures, clean the terminals, and dispose of the old battery properly.
• It's recommended to secure the new battery with special brackets to prevent movement and potential damage.

What are the signs that the Jeep Grand Cherokee battery has to be changed?

When the Grand Cherokee battery fails or is close to running out of energy, it is easy to notice that. Here are the main signs that it's time to change the battery:

• Dull, weak headlights (The reason might be burnt-out light bulbs);
• Flashing lights on the Jeep’s dashboard. The car`s battery may lack the energy to lighten the dashboard. With each attempt, the light gets dimmer as the battery is put under strain while losing the rest of the power;
• It is difficult to start the car, especially when it is cold. Everyone knows that batteries do not like frost and sharp temperature jumps. When the air temperature drops, any battery loses its charge faster, often leading to problems with starting the engine;
• When starting the Jeep Grand Cherokee, you need to press the gas pedal;
• Misfires, tripping. A faulty ignition module or worn-out spark plugs can cause it. Usually, such a malfunction is accompanied by crackling, clicking, and knocking sounds when starting the Grand Cherokee’s engine;
• Corrosion on the battery terminals. One of the causes of battery terminal corrosion is sometimes a faulty charging system. In other situations, the reason may be a loose connection or a faulty charging system.

While most Jeep Grand Cherokee batteries use acid to generate power, terminal corrosion can lead to problems like the inability to start the engine.

How often should you change your Jeep Grand Cherokee`s battery?

You must change your Grand Cherokee's battery every 4-5 years. These are approximate numbers and close to the ideal. The battery's life is affected by many factors, including:

• The quality of the battery itself. Some can work for up to 7 years, others already become unusable with the onset of the second season;
• The climate. If you live in humid climate conditions, batteries oxidize and fail more quickly, and operation in winter severely undermines the battery's life;
• Not the last role in the condition of the Grand Cherokee battery depends on compliance with all operating rules - keep the battery from over-discharging, and do not overload it much.

TIP! If you plan to install a sound system or additional lighting devices, place a more powerful battery in addition - this will extend the service life of the Jeep’s main battery.

How to change the battery in Jeep Grand Cherokee?

Replacing the battery in Jeep Grand Cherokee is quite an easy process. You can do it on your own. The main thing is to follow all safety instructions because you are working with electricity. Be careful and attentive when replacing the battery, and you`ll be fine.

Choose the new battery for Jeep Grand Cherokee

To install a new one, you need a new one. If you are completely satisfied with your old battery and replace it only because of its age, then the best choice for you will be to purchase the same model.

In this case, you save time - you`ll not need to choose a new battery. However, if you choose another battery, ensure it is suitable for your Jeep Grand Cherokee first.

Shop From Amazon

ACDelco Gold 94RAGM 36 Month Warranty AGM BCI Group 94R Battery

Deka 9A94R AGM Intimidator Battery

ACDelco Gold 49AGM 36 Month Warranty AGM BCI Group 49 Battery

You must select the battery according to the following parameters:

• Manufacturer - choose proven manufacturers and products that have earned many positive reviews;
• External dimensions - height, length, and width. There is a certain space allocated under the battery in your car, so you need to ensure that the battery fits there properly;
• Battery performance. Jeep Grand Cherokee models and trims with many electrical systems and lights, respectively, require batteries with a higher performance rate to withstand the load;
• Battery capacity. Smaller car batteries have a capacity of 40 ampere-hours. Larger Grand Cherokee vehicles can use 50 amp-hour batteries, while oversized automobiles use 75 amp-hour batteries;
• Cold-cranking amps - voltage produced by the battery when starting the engine. You can find all the information here if you are still determining which battery you need for the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Locate the battery

While this step may seem easy enough, it can be more complicated. Depending on the structure, the battery can be located in different places:

• Under the hood or in the trunk;
• Under the seat in the cabin;
• In another place in the cabin.

If you can't find the battery in the Jeep Grand Cherokee, you can look for this information in your owner's manual.

Disconnect the battery

Remove the terminals from the battery. Usually, terminals are fixed with bolts. Select the necessary key and loosen the fasteners on the terminals.

Important! Always remove the negative terminal from the battery first. If you remove the plus (+) first and then accidentally short the battery to the Jeep Grand Cherokee’s body (for example, by connecting the terminal to the body with a key), this can lead to a short circuit and failure of the car`s electrical equipment. Simply memorize these safety measures: minus (-) goes first, then remove the plus (+).

Remove the old battery

Pull the old battery out of its seat. Do not rush - you can damage the battery. First, make sure nothing is interfering in its way. Carefully remove the battery.

Clean battery terminals

Few people recommend this step, but we consider it necessary. Before installing a new battery, clean the terminals (on the Jeep Grand Cherokee).

Over time, the terminals are exposed to a destructive effect - they oxidize, plaque, rust, and other contaminants appear on them. This harms their conductivity - voltage drops may reappear, and the battery won't work completely.

In addition, if the terminals are oxidized, this can affect the battery group - which will also lead to its oxidation - and harm the performance and overall battery life of the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

To prevent this, we advise you to clean the terminals before installing a new battery - to remove all dirt and defects from their surface. 

There are two ways to do this:

• If the contamination hasn`t managed to penetrate deeply yet and can be easily removed, clean the terminals with fine-grained sandpaper - remove the outer layer of dirt until you see clean metal in front of you. Make sure the terminal is clean from all sides;
• Use a contact cleaner if the contamination is already more complicated (a large area is affected or challenging to clean).  A special spray created specifically for surfaces and elements that conduct current. Apply a small amount of spray directly to the terminals.

Let it for 10-15 minutes (or as much as indicated on the package). Then, start cleaning the remaining dirt with a cloth if it comes off easily or with sandpaper if it is still difficult to remove.

Important! If you use a contact cleaner - don`t install the battery immediately afterward - let the spray dry completely.

Shop From Amazon

WD-40 Specialist Contact Cleaner Spray, 11 oz.

CRC QD Contact Cleaner, 11 Wt Oz, Industrial Strength, Quick Drying, No Residue, Plastic-S...

Hosa D5S-6 CAIG DeoxIT 5% Spray Contact Cleaner, 5 oz.

Install a new battery on Jeep Grand Cherokee

Install a new battery. Install it in the old place and ensure it is even and nothing interferes with them. Check the polarity. Make sure that foreign metal objects do not touch the battery terminals.

• Connect the terminals to the battery. The connection is the other way around - first, the plus (+) is connected, then the minus (-).
• Fasten the battery as securely as possible by tightening the nuts. Shake the terminals - they must be installed securely and fixed so that none of them fly off when driving.
• Check battery performance. Start the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Turn on energy consumers such as lights, heaters, etc.
• Check whether the battery is charging. Look at the indicators of the onboard computer or by measuring the voltage directly on the battery with a multimeter.

Secure the battery with the special brackets

It is also quite an unpopular solution often ignored by Jeep Grand Cherokee owners. However, we advise installing special fasteners to fix the battery in place and prevent it from backlash or swaying.

Why is this important? With a lot of vibration, or when you hit a pothole, the battery can jump and short out, causing it to fail instantly and end up in the trash.

Therefore, we advise you to install the battery in such a way as to prevent any of its movement -  it will serve you for many years.

Dispose of the old battery properly

A car battery is a complex part that consists of many elements, including those that are toxic to people and the environment. Do not just throw the battery in the trash or landfill - take it to a specified recycling center.

Remember, if you throw away the battery just like that, without complying with all the necessary regulations, you can be fined and even convicted for environmental pollution.

To Wrap Everything Up

Replacing a Jeep Grand Cherokee`s battery is quite an easy task. Still, you have to be aware of safety measures while doing battery replacement to prevent any unnecessary injuries to yourself and harm to your vehicle.

Following the battery replacement steps in this article will make everything as it has to. If needed, resort to an experienced mechanic to perform a battery replacement.

Nick Marchenko, PhD

Industrial Engineer & Automotive Content Specialist

Nick writes in-depth guides on car clubs, engine specs, vehicle ownership, and modifications, combining engineering knowledge with automotive passion.

Full profile → LinkedIn →