Disconnect and Reconnect the 12V Battery

The Ford Kuga Mk2 (2013–2019) carries its 12-volt battery in the engine bay. Disconnecting it is straightforward, but the car loses a few settings and some systems need re-initialising afterwards — here is the safe order to do it in.

How to disconnect and reconnect the Kuga Mk2 battery

1. Apply the handbrake, turn the ignition off and close the doors and boot. Check the lights, heater and audio are all off.
2. Note your audio unit’s security keycode if it has one, in case it is asked for once power is restored.
3. Wait about 2 minutes after switching off before touching the terminals, so the modules power down fully.
4. Open the bonnet — the battery is in the engine compartment. Loosen and remove the negative (−) terminal first, then the positive (+).
5. To reconnect, fit the positive (+) terminal first, then the negative (−), and tighten both. Make sure the ignition is off.
6. After reconnecting, reset the clock and date, re-enter the radio presets and preferences, then re-initialise the power windows (and the panoramic roof, if fitted).

If you are fitting a brand-new battery, cars with a Battery Monitoring System (BMS) need the BMS reset with a diagnostic tool so the charging system treats the new battery correctly — reconnecting the same battery does not.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the battery on a Ford Kuga Mk2?

In the engine compartment — not in the boot or under a seat.

Which terminal comes off first?

Negative (−) first when disconnecting; positive (+) first when reconnecting.

Why do my windows only go down after this?

The one-touch memory is wiped when power is removed. Re-initialise each window to restore auto up/down.

Do I need to reset anything after just reconnecting the same battery?

The clock, radio presets and window one-touch. A full BMS reset is only needed when you fit a different or new battery.

If a warning lamp appears after reconnecting, look up the code on autodtcs.com.