Owners of other Volkswagen Group vehicles such as the Passat, CC, Tiguan, Golf, Touareg, Jetta, GTI, SportWagen, Eos, Rabbit, Bora, Vento, Lavida, Coccinelle, Maggiolino, Fusca, Audi A3, A4, S4, A6, S6, A7, A8, Q5, Q7, A5, S5, and TT may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

The tools needed to replace the battery include a 10mm socket with a 1/4" drive ratchet or a 10mm wrench, a 13mm socket, with a long extension bar and a 3/8" drive ratchet.

A few compatible replacement "Group Size" H5 or H6 batteries with their part numbers are as follows: ACDelco 48AGM, Bosch S6585B S6, EverStart AGM H6, EverStart MAXX-H6, EverStart MAXX-H5 (Walmart), Bosch Premium H6-760B or H5-650B, Duralast Gold H5-DLG, Duralast Platinum H6-AGM and Duracell 48 H6.

Attention: Many modern Volkswagen Group (VW, Audi, Porsche, Seat, Skoda, etc.) vehicles may be equipped with a battery management control module as part of the ECU (electronic control unit). The use of a VCDS, VAGCOM or another VW specific OBDII scanner (also known as an OBD2 scan tool) will be needed to "recode", "reprogram", "register" or perform the "adaptations" for the new battery including inputting the new serial number into the ECU. The coding procedure will reset the battery monitoring and management control module so that the system will charge it at the proper specifications (voltage and amperage).

Two Volkswagen / Audi specific OBDII scanners that may work are the Ancel VD500 and the Foxwell NT510. Please be sure to check the list of supported vehicles and model years before purchasing a scan tool. I'd recommend the more advanced Foxwell unit since it specifically mentions "register a new battery after replacing" as one of the features.

The 12V automotive battery is located next to the electrical fuse box and just behind the engine air filter box.

Flip open the fabric cover on the old 12 volt battery.

First loosen the negative terminal nut by turning it counterclockwise with the 10mm socket and 1/4" drive ratcheting wrench.

Pull the negative terminal off the "-" battery post, wrap it in a small towel and tuck it away on the side of the battery to help prevent accidental electrical contact.

Pull the positive terminal off the "+" battery post and tuck it away on the side of the battery.

Lift the fabric battery box or "heat shield" out of the engine bay and set it aside in a safe place.

Attach the 13mm socket and extension bar to a 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench.

Loosen the 13mm bolt on the battery hold down bar by turning it counterclockwise.

You do not need to entirely remove the 13mm bolt in order to lift out the old battery. It may be easier to leave the battery hold down bar attached to the battery tray.

Try to avoid tipping over or dropping the old battery to prevent from having battery acid leak out.

If you can wait a few days for delivery, the ACDelco 48AGM has excellent reviews on Amazon.

Be sure to bring the old battery with you to Walmart or the auto parts store to avoid having to pay a "core" charge and so that the retailer can have the old battery properly recycled.

Clean off any debris from the plastic battery tray so that the new battery will rest evenly on it.

Gently lower the new "Group Size" H5 or H6 12 volt battery in to the engine bay with the "+" positive post at the front and the "-" negative battery post closer to the rear of the engine bay.

Tighten the 13mm bolt on the battery hold down bar in the clockwise direction until it is snug.

Check that the new battery is secure and can't be moved back and forth or wiggled around.

If the new battery can be moved, tighten the hold down clamp bolt a bit more.

If you've had a problem with corrosion (white or blue powder) building up on the terminals and battery posts, I'd recommend installing some felt anti-corrosion washers over the battery posts to help prevent any further damage.

Push the positive terminal on to the "+" battery post.

Tighten the 10mm terminal nut in the clockwise direction until it is snug.

Try to avoid over tightening the terminal nut to prevent from damaging the battery post which could lead to an acid leak.

Tighten the 10mm "-" terminal nut in the clockwise direction until it is snug.

Flip the cover closed over the top of the battery.

Test the new battery by starting the engine and turning on the headlights.

Be sure to adjust the time on the clock and program your favorite radio station presets before driving.

For more, check out my other 2012-2016 VW Beetle DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides.