The Renault Koleos nameplate has been in South Africa since 2008. The latest, completely-revised model range was introduced here in February 2019, and a month ago it received some minor styling updates.
Like all luxurious modern cars, the Koleos is equipped with a number of hi-tech features. While these features make modern high-end motoring a pleasurable experience, they do place greater demands on a battery. Thus we thought it would be appropriate to feature a battery replacement step-by-step guide on the Koleos.
Battery failure can occur at the most inappropriate times.
Like most modern car owners, maintenance is something that is often left entirely to the dealership, especially as warranties dictate that all mechanical work should be carried out by authorised personnel. However, if you have the misfortune of experiencing battery failure where it would be impossible for a Renault dealer to reach you quickly, it helps to know the steps you need to take to get mobile again.
Before you start, you will need:
A 10 mm spanner to do the job.
This can be of the socket variety, but a conventional ring-flat spanner will do the job adequately. It is a good idea to carry one of these in the glove box of the car.
The battery model details.
If you cannot get the exact replacement, an equivalent 12-volt generic replacement will do. Any good spares shop will be able to sell you the correct equivalent replacement battery.
The battery size and terminal placement.
As a back-up, record the measurements of the battery, as well as the placement of the terminals. Not all batteries are the same, and as the Koleos battery fits in a snug retaining box, it is a good idea to take measurements of the battery, in case you have to find one in a hurry over a weekend.
Note that some batteries have the positive and negative terminals located at the opposite ends of the battery top, compared to your Koleos battery, in which case the cables will not reach the terminals if you try to install one of these as a temporary replacement.
Step-by-step battery replacement guide
4. Loosen the clamp nut on the terminal cable, using a 10 mm spanner, and remove the earth cable, tucking it out of the way so that it cannot make contact with the terminal.
5. Identify the positive terminal and cable. This is located under a red plastic cover. Flip this up, loosen the cable by again using the 10 mm spanner, and remove the cable.
6. Identify the battery retaining clamp. This fits across the centre of the battery, held in place by two threaded rods located at the bottom of the battery tray.
7. Again use the 10 mm spanner to remove the nuts, remove the clamp, and ensure that the rods, which are now loose, don’t fall into the lower recesses of the engine compartment. You can now withdraw the old battery and fit a replacement battery.
Take care not to damage the protective casing when installing the new battery. Also be careful not to disturb the clamp retaining rods, which should be moved carefully out of the way for re-installation.
8. With the new battery installed, first replace the retaining clamp and make sure it is tight (but not too tight), then connect the positive earth cable to the positive terminal (check once again that it has a plus sign (+). Then similarly reconnect the earth cable to the negative (-) terminal. It is important to connect the earth cable as the final step. If you connect the earth terminal before connecting the positive terminal, you could cause a dangerous under-bonnet spark if your spanner touches metal while working on the positive terminal. This may damage other electrics, which will prove costly, or cause a fire!
9. Cover the positive terminal with its red plastic cover (it is there as a protection against sparks) and carefully re-install the fibre battery protection cover.
10. The final step will be to re-enter the pin code for the Koleos’s infotainment system. Every time the battery is disconnected, the pin code has to be re-inserted. For this, you will have to visit your local Renault dealer. You are done!