Disconnecting the battery.

[DJGietzen]

So I'm finally installing the 2012 steering wheel I bought myself 3 years ago on my 07 gt.

I've avoided doing any kind of work that requires the battery be disconnected in the past, and was fully prepaired to overpay some shop to do this 10 minute job for me. But instead I'm doing it myself.

Does it make a difference if I disconnect the red connection from the battery or the black? The looks easier to remove but I want to be certain I've done eveything I can to avoid an airbag to the face when I start removing the wheel.

 

[Coosawjack]

Always disconnect the ground (BLACK) first and connect it back last if you ever disconnect both cables from the battery......this ensures that any surge you may have goes to ground to protect the electronics in the car!!

 

[DJGietzen]

Thanks for the advice.

Don't know how much damage I risked but I unhooked the positive side first before I read this. Was sure to unhook the negative before reattaching the positive when I was done. Car started, everything seems to be fine.

Almost everything actually. Cruise control buttons are not working. If I remember my research there was a change in the resistance levels at some point and the switch pod I have probably came with the wrong resistance for my car. No worrying about it though, I can't remember the last time I actually used cruise control, and a couple years back a great guy on one of these forums swapped all the LEDs in my switches to 05-09 green ones so everything would be matchy matchy. LEDS come on and the aftermaket radio can map all the other switches so this feels like a functional upgrade and I don't want to think about the cost of getting and modding a second switch pod.

 

[Juice]

SAFETY is the reason you should disconnect negative first, and connect negative last is incase you accidentally touch the body with the wrench while working on the terminal. If you are disconnecting/connecting the positive with the negative connected and the wrench touches ground, you will have shower of sparks, glowing wrench, and possible battery explosion if there is enough hydrogen gas present. You did know lead-acid batteries can generate hydrogen right?

 

[1950StangJump$]

Years ago, I melted a class ring when I shorted the positive leave wrenching it tight.