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Jump starting your car

If the 12 V battery level is below a certain point, you need to jump start your car with an external source. Read through the information before you start and perform each step carefully.

 Warning

  • If the 12 V battery has been disconnected, the windows' pinch protection needs to be reset.
  • The battery can generate oxyhydrogen gas which is highly explosive.
  • The battery contains sulphuric acid which can cause serious burns and corrosion. If the sulphuric acid comes into contact with skin or clothes, rinse them with plenty of water. If the acid gets into eyes, seek medical attention immediately.
  • Never smoke near the battery.

 Important

Do not charge another car

The charging points on your car's 12 V battery are only meant for charging your own car. Do not attempt to charge another car.

Jumper lead connection
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Jumper lead connection
  1. 1External battery's positive terminal.
  2. 2Positive terminal on your car's 12 V battery.
  3. 3External battery's negative terminal.
  4. 4Negative terminal on your car's 12 V battery.
There are some tasks you need to do before jump starting your car.
  • You need access to an external charger or 12 V battery, such as in another car, and a pair of jumper leads.
  • Make sure your car is turned off.
  • If using another car's 12 V battery, make sure its engine is off and that the cars are not in contact with each other.
  • To be able to access the charging points, you need to remove the panels under the bonnet.

Connecting the cables

Attach the red jump lead to the external battery's positive terminal.

 Warning

Make sure that the jump leads only come into contact with the charging terminals in the engine compartment. Carefully avoid the jump leads contacting other components.

Remove the cover for the positive terminal by pressing the sides of the cover and lifting it. Attach the other end of the red lead to the positive terminal on your car's 12 V battery.

Attach the black jump lead to the external battery's negative terminal.
Attach the other end of the black lead to the negative terminal on your car's 12 V battery.
Check that the clamps are properly attached. Poor contact can cause sparks or the clamps to loosen during the start attempt.

Start attempt

Activate the external battery and charge your car's battery for a few minutes. If you are using the battery on another car, let its engine run at a slightly higher idling speed than normal, approx. 1500 rpm.

 Warning

Do not touch the leads or clamps while either battery is active. There is a risk of creating sparks.
Start your car.

Check the driver display to see if your car is ready to drive.

If the start attempt fails, keep charging for 10 minutes and then try again.

While your car is still running, remove the leads in the opposite order to how you installed them. First remove the black lead from your 12 V battery and then the black lead from the external battery. Next, remove the red lead from your 12 V battery and then the red lead from the external battery. Make sure that the black jump lead does not touch any of the positive terminals or the red jump lead.

Keep your car running for a while to charge the 12 V battery. It charges better while you drive.

 Note

Make sure the start and stop feature is disabled until the battery has had enough time to recharge. Otherwise, there is a risk that the auto-start will fail.

If the traction battery is also flat, you need to charge it with a charging cable after you get the electric system running again to be able to start the engine.

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