Where are the battery terminals for jump-starting a 2003 Cadillac Deville? The battery is under the seat, but the hookups are somewhere under the hood and my husband can’t find them. (He was shown the terminal hookups by the AAA mechanic about six months ago, but doesn’t remember squat.)
The NEGATIVE cable can be connected to ANY good metal surface on the engine. Look around on the inner fenders or firewall for a terminal block with one or more HEAVY wires connected to it. It should have a red cover protecting it. That’s probably the one you are looking for. BUT, I would ask a mechanic to verify this before you use this terminal to jump-start the car. Mistakes could be costly…
Reason 1001 why not to buy a GM product!
Reason 1001 why not to buy a GM product!
I would suggest looking in the owner’s manual. Frankly having the battery under the seat has good advantages.
Beefy Norm, This Arangement Is Better Than On Some Cars That Have To be “Disassembled” In Order To Replace A Battery
The seat just snaps up, without requiring tools. The battery stays clean and dry.
It is safer to jump a battery at a location that is away from the battery, anyhow.
Just for the record, please tell what kind of car do you drive. I’d like to know which vehicle has no unusual maintenance or repair quirks. I may be interested in owning one.
The owner’s manual is silent on how to jump start this car–just gives the location of the battery under the seat. I assume GM thinks only geezers with no desire to do anything other than phone AAA for help drive this car?
As Mr. Meehan suggests, the Owner’s Manual probably has directions for jump starting the vehicle, including a very clear graphic showing the location of the hookups located under the hood.
(edited to reflect degas’ comment)
And, if the manual doesn’t have this particular information, all I can say is shame on GM for omitting this vital bit of information. That, however does not change my belief that perhaps 99% of a car owner’s everyday questions about his car can be resolved by using the Owner’s Manual. However, this clearly does not apply in this case–to GM’s discredit.
I’m sorry, but I just have to ask this question:
What exactly do people think is contained in a car Owner’s Manual?
I don’t mind answering questions with an obvious answer, but the fact remains that 99% of these questions can be answered simply by opening the glove compartment and spending perhaps 3 minutes perusing the manual. If you are stuck on the side of the highway, opening the glove compartment is certainly more convenient than trying to access the internet and then waiting for a response. Even if you are at home, if you have a question about something on your car, wouldn’t it be easier and quicker to first take a look at the Owner’s Manual than to post a question that might not get a useful response for several hours?
A few months ago, one poster responded negatively to my suggestion of learning to consult her manual by stating something along the lines of, “it is written so that only an engineer can understand it”. In reality, these booklets are written on an 8th grade reading level, and are designed for the non-motorhead.
Yes, you do have to slog through perhaps 20 pages on how to wear a seat belt, but then you encounter information such as–how to change most of the light bulbs in the car, what that mysterious little unlabeled switch on the dashboard actually does, how to program the security system and the audio system, which tire rotation pattern to use, which type of transmission fluid to use, whether tire chains can be used on that vehicle, how to properly maintain the vehicle, etc., etc., ad infinitum.
So, once again I have to ask–Since most car owners don’t ever take the time to look at it, what do these non-readers think is contained in that book?
I fear you are right about that one.
I agree with you Joseph but for one point: It’s fine being protected from the environment, but it is in a volatile location when/if it comes to the possibility the battery starts over charging and emits noxious fumes.