Will Removing the Car Battery Cause Data Loss?
2 Answers
Removing the car battery will cause data loss, resulting in the loss of ROM or RAM information data. Here is some extended information: Precautions for Battery Replacement: Note that you must first disconnect the negative terminal before the positive terminal. Most models today use the negative terminal. If the positive terminal's head touches the frame first, it can cause a battery short circuit. During installation, the negative terminal should be connected before the positive terminal. This way, the data in the car will not be lost. ECU (Engine Control Unit): The ECU is different from a regular microcomputer; its motherboard does not have a CMOS (memory battery). Therefore, when power is cut off, it truly loses power. However, data storage should theoretically not be an issue, and current cars generally do not experience reset faults.
I've been driving for twenty years and have removed car batteries quite a few times. It's true that some minor data might get lost. The most common issue is that all the radio presets get wiped out. Every time I change the battery, I have to search for radio station logos again, which is quite a waste of time. The clock might also reset to the factory time, requiring manual adjustment on the dashboard. Then there's the seat memory position—losing it makes driving uncomfortable. The driving habit data in the car's computer sometimes gets cleared, but critical information like mileage and engine fault codes remain intact, so the car won't break down. Prevention is simple: before removing the battery, use a memory saver connected to the OBD port, or just loosen the negative terminal to avoid a complete power loss. Overall, a brief disconnection isn't a big deal, but losing some settings can affect daily use. Just remember to operate safely and avoid creating sparks.
