Most models hold the battery under the bonnet in one of the front corners. However, some batteries are located in the car boot to balance weight distribution. Check your vehicle handbook to find the location of your model’s battery. Once you’ve checked your handbook, the car battery should be easy to identify.
The car battery is a vital part of any car. All cars have them and they’re responsible for many tasks such as getting the car started, powering the car when the engine isn’t on, etc. Let me explain what the car battery is, what it does, and how to locate it. Check also the article from our car expert Canaan on typical problems with car batteries.
Look for a rectangular box, often with a “+” and “-” symbol on it. The car battery is usually covered by a protective cover or strap. To access the battery, you might need to remove this cover or strap, but this task is usually straightforward. Nowadays, some cars have the battery placed in different locations, like under the seat or in the trunk.
Tesla Roadster has a 12V battery under the hood in front on the left side: But in some cars, like this BMW, the battery is actually located in the trunk, usually in the back corner to help with weight distribution. So we have the battery right there: The same thing with a Maserati.
If you can't find your car battery under the hood, look inside your owner's manual for detailed location information. The good news is that even if your battery is in a trunk or under a wheel well, manufacturers usually provide access to positive and negative terminals under the hood for the purposes of jump-starting.
Nissan Altima (2007-2021): Battery is located under the hood on the right side. Nissan Rogue (2008-2021): Battery is located under the hood on the right side. Toyota Camry (2012-2021): Battery is located under the hood on the left side. Toyota Prius (2004-2012): Battery is in the trunk, rear left corner.