DaimlerChrysler’s design places the battery inside the left-front wheelwell and bumper, within the crumple zone.

With the wheels turned to the right, the battery compartment outline and access panel are visible.

Examples Of Battery Locations Obstructed Within The Engine Compartment Chevrolet Lumina minivan Battery in engine completely concealed under washer fluid reservoir Buick Regal Battery in engine compartment concealed under pass. front corner brace Chrysler Concorde Engine compartment battery concealed under air filter Chrysler LHS Engine compartment battery concealed under air filter Chrysler 300M Engine compartment battery concealed under air filter Dodge Intrepid Engine compartment battery concealed under air filter Pontiac Montana minivan Battery concealed under front brace of engine compartment Wheelwell battery locations as well as batteries under the rear-seat cushion will have positive and negative terminal connections within the engine compartment. Battery shutdown can be accomplished by disconnecting wires at these points.

Generally accepted response procedures require responders to access the battery early in their operations at a crash scene. Typically this involves opening the hood and looking for the lone battery. Today’s reality is that not only can there be more than one battery on the vehicle, there’s a good chance that the battery or batteries may not even be under the hood.

Multiple batteries are common on diesel-powered cars or trucks, on vehicles such as buses with heavy electrical loads, or even on cars with after-market stereo sound systems. Batteries may be in several locations under the hood or somewhere else on the vehicle, completely remote from the engine compartment.

Even batteries located under the hood are not always readily accessible. The new Chevy Venture, Oldsmobile Silhouette and Pontiac TranSport minivans are examples of vehicles that have batteries that are extremely difficult to access. Although it is under the hood, in each case the minivan’s battery is almost completely buried underneath a heavy-duty metal bracket and many engine components. Work to shutdown the electrical system of these vans will be seriously delayed.

Examples of batteries that are located within the trunks of vehicles include the trunk floor area of a Jaguar (above) and in the right-rear fender area of a BMW (below).

Automakers are challenged when placing a vehicle battery under the hood. Space in the engine compartment is limited particularly on small or midsize autos. More frequently with new vehicles, firefighters may raise the hood and not find a battery at all. Instead, the battery may be found secured inside a front wheelwell, within the passenger compartment itself or placed in the trunk. If responders raise the hood on a 1995 or newer Chrysler/Dodge Cirrus, Stratus or Sebring, for example, they’ll find only a spot to hook up jumper cables. The battery is located in the driver’s front wheelwell behind the corner of the front bumper.

With late-model Volkswagen EuroVan vehicles, one battery is located under the hood and the second, auxiliary battery is inside the passenger compartment under the driver’s seat.

The Oldsmobile Aurora auto has a most unusual battery location. Raising the hood, rescuers again only see connections for jump starting a dead battery. The Aurora’s battery is inside the car, completely concealed under the rear seat bench cushion. Removal of the entire rear seat cushion exposes the battery along with additional electrical circuitry.

The battery of the Oldsmobile Silhouette minivan is seriously obstructed by a large brace and various engine components. Battery shutdown would be delayed.

Mercedes, BMW and Jaguar autos have long used the trunk as the location of choice for batteries. BMW, for example, uses the right-rear corner of the trunk to conceal their battery behind a small storage cover. Jaguar places its battery completely under the floor of the trunk, accessible only after lifting a small trap door.

Task: Given a late-model vehicle, explain and describe the procedure for checking all possible locations where a battery or batteries may be located.

Note: Electrical Systems: Part 2 of this series provides suggested rescue standard operating guidelines (SOGs) for vehicle electrical system shutdown.

Examples of Battery Locations NOT Within the Engine Compartment (M.Y. indicates vehicle model year) Inside driver front wheelwell, ahead of front tire (disconnect possible at engine compartment power terminal block): M.Y. 1995+ Chrysler/Dodge Cirrus Dodge Stratus Sebring Plymouth Breeze Driver’s seat: M.Y. 1992 VW EuroVan auxiliary battery M.Y. 1999 VW EuroVan auxiliary battery Under rear seat cushion: Oldsmobile Aurora (M.Y. 1996+) Audi A6 Audi 100 Buick LeSabre (M.Y. 2000) Buick Riviera (M.Y. 1996+) Cadillac DeVille (M.Y. 2000) Cadillac Seville (M.Y. 1998+) Mercedes E-class Pontiac Bonneville (M.Y. 2000) Inside trunk: Audi A8 BMW 3-series (323 and 328 models represent six vehicle types) BMW 5-series (528 and 540 models represent five vehicle types) BMW 7-series (740 & 750 models represent five vehicle types) (Safety terminal, explosive "HOT" cable battery disconnect feature.) Mercedes SL-class (convertible) (Trunk on passenger side) Jaguar XJ, XK, Vanden Plas and S-series (2000 model year) (models represent seven vehicle types) (Battery under trunk floor panel.) Lincoln LS-6 and LS-8 sedan Rolls-Royce (One battery in trunk, dual batteries in trunk 1999+ models. Battery cutoff switch in trunk in some 1999+ models.)

The battery of the Oldsmobile Aurora is mounted under the cushion of the rear seat. Battery shutdown is possible by disconnecting the cables at the terminal connections within the engine compartment.