What is the thinking of BMW engineers?!

D

DesiDucati

Well-known member
I went to give my friend a jumpstart for his BMW SUV. We spent over 30 minutes looking for the battery. Then his little 10 year old brother used google and showed us on his iPhone a diagram of the battery located IN THE BACK OF THE SUV. Wow! Big wow! I guess the German engineers have a weird sense of humor.

Yes, we are both engineers and we both feel really stupid not looking it up online earlier.
 
NorCalAthlete

NorCalAthlete

O_o
Hondas also have the battery in the trunk. It's not just BMW. Matter of fact some Toyotas have a hookup for the battery in the back as well.
 
Slow Goat

Slow Goat

Fun Junkie
The Germans know weight distribution.
The Japanese know how to build light cars where a battery in front doesn’t matter though some newer models do have them in the rear.

Didya know the VW Toureg has a water-cooled alternator that requires the engine to be pulled to replace it?

Owned one German car. Never again.
 
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tzrider

tzrider

Write Only User
Staff member
We have a Volvo wagon with the battery in the rear. I had an MGB with two six volt batteries behind the seats.

Batteries in the engine compartment don’t seem to be universal.
 
littlebeast

littlebeast

get it while it's easy
DesiDucati said:
I went to give my friend a jumpstart for his BMW SUV. We spent over 30 minutes looking for the battery. Then his little 10 year old brother used google and showed us on his iPhone a diagram of the battery located IN THE BACK OF THE SUV. Wow! Big wow! I guess the German engineers have a weird sense of humor.

Yes, we are both engineers and we both feel really stupid not looking it up online earlier.
Click to expand...

more german car fun - i was at the grocery store, had the front hood up, and a well meaning dude walks up and asked if i needed some assistance with my disabled vehicle. seeing the bags i had already loaded where he expected the engine to be, he looked at me sheepishly and muttered ‘okay, nevermind’, and walked away. i thanked him anyway.
 
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Pushrod

Pushrod

Well-known member
Moto-dude card now on probation. And begs the question; which engineering discipline are you admitting to?
 
bigpoppa

bigpoppa

Well-known member
My 2016 V6 Camaro had the battery in the trunk (tucked off to the side) and jumper posts under the front hood.

I also had a Dodge Stratus a number of years ago that required the front driver side wheel to be removed to replace the battery.

Sometimes I think engineers are tasked with coming up with design elements that force owners to take their vehicles back to a shop (ideally the dealer) for maintenance.
 
lefty

lefty

Well-known member
My coworker told me this story;
His Wife drives a newer Mercedes Benz (he drives a Honda Civic). Her battery died. He went and bought a new battery for around $250, and he was annoyed by THAT price!!! Well, he installed the battery and still no start. He ended up having the car towed to the Mercedes dealership where they replaced the Primary Battery (that's located in the trunk) for $1,300!!! The battery in the front is only for the Accessories!!!
 
dravnx

dravnx

Well-known member
Heat kills batteries. The engine compartment is the hottest location for a battery. There are some engineers who know what they are doing.
 
TheRobSJ

TheRobSJ

Großer Mechaniker
Batteries in the trunk is nothing new. Been seeing that for many years now. Some of the logic is weight balancing, but it’s mostly packaging. The weight angle is sort of not worth it when you factor in running a long battery cable(s) the length of the car.

Really though, it’s packaging. Air boxes, fuse boxes, fluid reservoirs, and so on...they can make those any shape they need to be able to fit under the hood. Batteries, you can’t. And some cars (a lot of German) use really big batteries. Which means you’ve got to find room for a big rectangular box. Plus being exposed to the heat of the engine brings battery temperatures up to a point where their overall life gets shortened. Some manufacturers alleviate this by adding specific battery cooling, which of course occupies more room under the hood.
 
berth

berth

Well-known member
My wife's Cadillac ATS has the battery in the trunk. We had it replaced, and the guy had to partially disassemble the trunk to get it in and out. Even more happy fun times, this car has two different batteries depending on the option set.

The battery on my JGC is underneath the passenger seat.

To be honest, I don't know how to jump start either of them.
 
East Bay Mike

East Bay Mike

Well-known member
DesiDucati said:
I went to give my friend a jumpstart for his BMW SUV. We spent over 30 minutes looking for the battery. Then his little 10 year old brother used google and showed us on his iPhone a diagram of the battery located IN THE BACK OF THE SUV. Wow! Big wow! I guess the German engineers have a weird sense of humor.

Yes, we are both engineers and we both feel really stupid not looking it up online earlier.
Click to expand...

Just like the engineers when they try to come to the field and tell me how to do my job. :laughing
 
AbsolutEnduser

AbsolutEnduser

Throttle Pusher
DesiDucati said:
..BMW SUV. We spent over 30 minutes looking for the battery. ..
..

Yes, we are both engineers and we both feel really stupid not looking it up online earlier.
Click to expand...


RTFM :laughing It's in the manual under the wheel..


Abacinator said:
Most german vehicles with a rear mounted battery now have jumper points under the hood anyway.
Click to expand...

^^^ now this is useful. I know this for a fact.
 
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Bay Arean

Bay Arean

Well-known member
I think those Chrysler 500s, the ones that sort of look like some kind of weird mob-car-taxi-hybrid had them in the back. A lady at work had one and needed a jump or was offering one, I don't remember. I just remember being surprised about it. But how would being in the trunk be any hotter than near an engine (referring to earlier post).
 
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