Tools you need for battery on a 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

On the K2XX Silverado the battery is easy to reach in the driver-side front corner, but the hold-down is a wedge clamp at the base of the battery rather than a top bar, so you need a 13 mm socket on a long extension angled down past the coolant bottle. The rest is standard: 13 mm terminal nuts, negative off first, positive on first.

The two things people get wrong are group size and battery type. Most trucks take a Group 48 (H6) AGM, but trucks with the heavy-duty or trailering electrical option use the taller Group 94R (H7), and dropping in a flooded battery where AGM was fitted gives you a short, disappointing service life because GM's regulated voltage control charges for AGM. Also leave the fused junction block bolted to the positive cable; unbolt only the clamp at the post.

Complete tool and parts list

Differences within the 2014-2018 generation

Tool sizes are the same across the 4.3 V6, 5.3 L83 and 6.2 L86. What varies is battery group size and reserve: base trucks generally take Group 48 (H6) AGM, while trucks with heavy-duty alternator, max trailering or the dual-battery/auxiliary setup on some 6.2L and high-trim trucks use Group 94R (H7). Measure the tray or read the label on the old battery.

Torque specs

How the job goes

1. Park on level ground, engine off, key out, doors closed. Let the truck sit a few minutes so modules go to sleep.
2. Optional: plug a memory saver into the OBD-II port under the dash to keep radio and HVAC settings.
3. Open the hood and remove the plastic cover/heat shield over the battery in the driver-side front corner (pull the clips or remove the 10 mm hardware if fitted).
4. Loosen the negative (black) terminal nut with a 13 mm socket, twist the clamp free and tuck it aside where it cannot spring back onto the post.
5. Loosen the positive (red) terminal nut, lift the clamp off, and lay the cable with its attached fuse/junction block over the fender away from the battery. Do not unbolt cables from the junction block.
6. Locate the hold-down clamp bolt at the front lower edge of the battery. Use a 13 mm socket with a 10 in extension (and a swivel if needed) to back it out, then remove the wedge clamp.
7. Lift the battery straight up with a strap. Watch the vent tube if fitted on AGM units and transfer or reroute it.
8. Clean the tray with a baking soda solution, dry it, and wire-brush the cable clamps and any corrosion off the cable ends.
9. Set the new battery in with the positive post toward the front/outboard side, matching the old orientation, and confirm the cables reach without strain.
10. Refit the hold-down clamp and torque the bolt to about 11 ft-lb. The battery should not move when you push on it.
11. Connect positive first, then negative. Torque each terminal nut to 11 ft-lb. Do not overtighten; the posts are lead.
12. Refit the cover, start the engine, and check charging voltage (13.5-15.0 V at idle, though GM's regulated charging system will vary it deliberately).
13. Reset the clock and radio presets, relearn the power windows if auto-up stops working (hold the switch up for a few seconds after closing), and drive normally so the transmission relearns shifts.

Watch out

The 13 mm terminal and hold-down sizes and the Group 48/94R fitment are correct for the vast majority of 2014-2018 Silverado 1500s, but check your own truck for a 10 mm terminal nut and confirm the group size printed on the old battery before buying.

Other jobs on the 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

Battery Replacement on other vehicles