R-class Jump Start Handy Hint

[BobbyHowie]

Read how to do it before you have to!!! My wife and I and another couple flew into Edinburgh from Barbados Saturday 06:00 and his CLS had a flat battery. I've jump leads so brought my car over to his and eventually found his battery! Mine wasn't under the bonnet either or the tailgate. Found a few things under the bonnet with high voltage warnings but no battery. Looked in the manual and saw it's under the drivers seat and thought "what the ???"!!!
It was dark, windy, rain and cold so he got Roadside Assistance. Later read the manual and now see there are terminal posts under the bonnet with the battery under the seat! Well worth knowing in advance!

This may apply to other models I guess.

 

[SilverSaloon]

many cars are getting like this.

the picasso we had... it had the battery under the passenger seat (with some latches to lift up the seat to access it) and there was a POS+ terminal in the engine bay for jump leads etc. Neg can go onto any chassis point

 

[gIzzE]

Should use the terminals under the bonnet to stop you frying ECUs as well, direct to battery can be a disaster.

 

[neilz]

Land Rover Defenders (at least old 90s) have them under the passenger seat. Seat base just lifts up and panel underneath just slides out

 

[Mercy1]

Should use the terminals under the bonnet to stop you frying ECUs as well, direct to battery can be a disaster.

So will I be safe using a maintenance charger, such as Aldi's or Halfords, to charge the battery in situ using the under-bonnet terminals??

No problem with the battery so far but I find I am not using the car as much as I did and sometimes it sits in the garage for many days. I would like to be able to give the battery a boost now and again but wouldn't want to risk damaging the ECUs etc...

Thanks in anticipation of informed reassurance...!

 

[A210AMG]

I had my E class backed into the lean too about a yr ago, wifes car on drive.

The E class battery was dead.. no probs jumped in the wifes and moved it (B class) opened bonnet on both....

Nope... Battery (as in the A class under drivers mat in B class) and no battery could be seen under E class bonnet.....??

Jump leads not 'that' long so battery out of caravan and jumped E class (battery in boot). I since heared on here that I shouldn't do that...

However local indy says there is NO problem jumping using the battery??

Now I've only done this once but I suspect most owners would jump the car using the battery they can physically see? I never even thought to look in manual for battery jumping??

So who is right?

Jump using the bonnet 'jumps' or direct on Battery???

 

[BTB 500]

No problem with the battery so far but I find I am not using the car as much as I did and sometimes it sits in the garage for many days. I would like to be able to give the battery a boost now and again but wouldn't want to risk damaging the ECUs etc...

Thanks in anticipation of informed reassurance...!

Get a dedicated maintenance charger like an Accumate - my SL is on one whenever it's in the garage:

AccuMate 6V & 12V Battery Maintenance Charger