How to Remove a Car Battery from a BMW

Whether you’re carrying out regular maintenance at home or you’re dealing with a surprise issue on the side of the road near St Paul, knowing how to remove a car battery from a BMW can help you save time and money that you might otherwise spend on expert care.  Although there’s no shame in scheduling service, we know that the most satisfied drivers are those who understand how their vehicles really work. That’s why we’ve put together a guide with everything you need to know about removing a car battery quickly, safely, and easily.

Removing a Car Battery: Preparation

Whenever you work with high-powered components, it’s important to exercise caution. The battery in your BMW has been designed to be as safe as it can be, but it’s still essential to take precautions:

• Wearing rubber safety gloves and safety glasses is essential. If you have sensitive lungs, a respirator is also a good investment. Make sure you’re in a well-ventilated area.
• Take off any jewelry that could attract an electric charge, including watches, necklaces, and bracelets.
• Always keep the battery cables separated; zip ties and cloth coverings can both come in handy. Touching cables can generate sparks.

You’ll also need to have a set of socket wrenches and a terminal cleaning on hand. If you’re picking up a fresh BMW battery from our Bloomington parts department, it pays to pick up a little anti-corrosion gel too. You can save on both with our parts coupons.

Keep these safety tips in mind next time you need to jumpstart a BMW, too!

Removing a Car Battery: Step-by-Step

Removing a car battery from a BMW is impossible if you’re not sure where to find the battery in the first place! Unlike almost all other vehicles, most new BMW vehicles are built with their batteries in the trunk.  Now that we’ve got that out of the way, it will only take a moment to learn how to remove a car battery:

1. The battery is usually located on the right side of the vehicle, beneath the upholstery that covers your trunk.
2. Disconnect the negative battery terminal from the battery using your 10 mm socket wrench. Carefully set the cable to the side where it won’t touch any metal, or the other cable. Use a zip tie and a cloth covering to secure it if necessary.
3. Disconnect the positive battery terminal next. Place it safely to the side.
4. You’re ready to remove the battery bracket. The bolts that hold it in place can be removed using your 13 mm socket.
5. Remove the old battery and set the new BMW battery in its place. Retighten the brackets, but be careful not to secure them too tightly. You risk cracking the battery casing.
6. Clean the terminal connectors, one at a time, before reconnecting them to the vehicle. You can also apply a little anti-corrosion gel at this time, to prevent problems down the line.
7. Connect the positive terminal first, and then the negative. Return the upholstery to its normal location.

If your BMW is from MY2002 or later, you may need to register the new battery. Contact our parts department if you have any questions!

We’re Ready to Help with All of Your BMW Battery Needs

Whether you need to pick up a new approved battery or you’re looking for more tips on DIY car care, you can count on our team to help. If you end up needing help with anything, make sure you check out our service specials before you make an appointment.