Changing an '02 VW Passat Battery?

[cal4iri]

Anyone know how?
My wifes battery is totally dead. I bought one yesterday at lunch and was surprised to find out it cost $110! I got home late so I didn't have time to change it. Instead I pushed the car into the driveway and just checked it out real quick. It was dark so I couldn't see much but after removing the cover to the battery, it looks like there's no place to remove the battery from the top unless I pop off all of the plastic for the vents. This actually wouldn't surprise me since almost everything on that car has to be fixed at the dealership instead of a do-it-yourself job.
I'm at work so I don't have the manual in front of me and I can't find anything online.

[Disneyland Daddy]

Originally Posted by cal4iri

Anyone know how?
My wifes battery is totally dead. I bought one yesterday at lunch and was surprised to find out it cost $110! I got home late so I didn't have time to change it. Instead I pushed the car into the driveway and just checked it out real quick. It was dark so I couldn't see much but after removing the cover to the battery, it looks like there's no place to remove the battery from the top unless I pop off all of the plastic for the vents. This actually wouldn't surprise me since almost everything on that car has to be fixed at the dealership instead of a do-it-yourself job.
I'm at work so I don't have the manual in front of me and I can't find anything online.

Our battery in our car was going out the other day, so I drove it to WalMart and they put in a new one - cost me $70 and change.....I wonder if WalMart can fix your battery or put it in for you. I'm not a fan of WalMart, but there are some things they are good for - this being one of those things.

Give them a call, and if they can, maybe you can phone Auto Club and have them tow the car to the nearest WalMart (providing you are a member of Auto Club).

[cal4iri]

If I can't change it on my own then I have to take it some place for sure. I only hope it can keep a charge long enough to get me somewhere. I don't have AAA and I don't want to pay to have it towed just to change the battery.
I can't believe how hard it is to do anything on this car! I'm no mechanic but I think it's ridiculous that I can't do normal maintenance myself on this car.

[Eflime]

Here are a couple of comments I found using Google.
Link to one:
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you...2002_VW_Passat

the other:
'Take it to the dealership, especially if it has an alarm system. I ran into some problems with my '02 VW when it needed a new battery. If you try to disconnect the battery and touch the alarm wires, which is wired to the battery, you'll disable the car. It's an anti-theft device. Just another way they get you to pay ridiculous amounts of money for service at the dealer. '

Good luck!