To the point - can I remove the black elbow with some needle nose pliers? do the fix and reinsert?
And you're not the first. Check this out:
http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/forums/f4/after-update-visually-check-your-new-battery-21576/
I wonder if this hasn't happened to ALL of the battery upgrades? Sounds like the new battery doesn't fit or doesn't line up correctly. This needs to be addressed by Smart.