Batteries in the Trunks

[jsteele]

After reading the '99 airbags lists and the Volvo information, is there a list of new cars with the batteries in the rear or trunks?

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James Steele
Second Assistant Chief
Portland Hook & Ladder Co. #1
Portland , PA

[This message has been edited by jsteele (edited 01-28-99).]

[billy]

Yes, I would like to see a list also. ANY possibility of locating one?

[rmoore]

Posting from Moderator Ron Moore

Here are the potential battery locations to look for when dealing with electrical system shutdown.

The key to locating batteries is not so much knowing where each and every battery is for each and every vehicle. The key I believe is responder education and awareness... knowing that batteries are not always going to be found under the hood anymore.

As for me, I'd go for the engine compartment first because that still is the most common location on most vehicles through 1999 model year. If a look there reveals no battery, don't panic and don't give up. Through training and awareness of just such a possibility, we then need to quickly check the few other alternative spots to locate the battery(s).

HOOD:
Number One spot is still under the hood. Be alert for dual batteries, especially on diesel-powered trucks, vans, cars.

BUMPER:
Chrysler has a series of cars ( Stratus and Cirrus for example) where the battery is located behind the front bumper on the driver's side ahead of the driver's front tire. Under the hood are two remote batery terminals.

To access this battery, you can deflate the front tire or turn the wheel hard to the right. This exposes the inside wheelwell area. Pry the plastic trim off the wheelwell and the battery and its cables are exposed.

You can also peel the fascia trim off that front corner of the front bumper and access the battery from the side. Problem here is in a frontal crash, the battery is exactly in the "crumple zone".

Due to the battery terminals under the hood being is series with the juice from the battery, you can actually disconnect and shutdown electrical power throughout the vehicle by cutting or disconnecting
the cables at these terminals. That leaves only the 3&1/2-foot long battery cables running down the fender and to the battery inside the wheelwell. The negative cable even has a built-in safety tab you can push into place to cover the bare end of the cable.

DRIVER'S SEAT:
VW Eurovan is one example of a current production vehicle with the battery neatly tucked under the driver's bucket seat. You will have to have an "empty" driver's seat to access this battery.

That's just great! You have to get the patient out of the van so you can shut down the power to make it safe to work on the patient in the van. Go figure.

REAR SEAT:
Check out the Oldsmobile Aurora. It is one of two GM vehicles with the battery under the rear seat cushion. Again, you have to get into the car to shut down the battery to make it safe to get into the car. What's wrong with this picture?

TRUNK:
Here's the second most popular location for a battery if it is not under the hood. Volvo's new models, BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar for example all use this location now. Look off to one side or the other in the trunk as well as lifting the flooring of the trunk. Jag and the new volvo S80 for example locate the
battery down under the trunk floor.

BMW, by the way, not only has their batteries in the right rear section of the trunk, the battery has a explosive disconnect unit on the HOT cable that shuts power down from the battery if the airbags fire off in a crash.