Jump-Start the 12V Battery

The BMW X5 (E70, 2006–2013) has its battery in the luggage compartment, so you don’t jump-start from there — BMW fits dedicated jump terminals in the engine bay. Use those, in the right order, and the car starts safely without disturbing the boot battery.

How to Jump-Start a BMW X5 (E70)

1. Park the donor car close but not touching, both ignitions off.
2. On the X5, open the hood and lift the cover on the positive (+) jump terminal (right-hand side of the engine bay).
3. Connect red to the X5’s positive jump post, then the red other end to the donor’s positive.
4. Connect black to the donor’s negative, then the black other end to a bare metal engine earth point on the X5 (not the boot battery).
5. Start the donor car, wait a minute, then start the X5. Once running, remove the leads in reverse order and refit the terminal cover.

Important

• Use the engine-bay jump posts, never clamp onto the boot battery — the under-floor battery is awkward and the posts are there for exactly this.
• Earth the black lead to engine metal, not the negative battery terminal, to keep sparks away from the battery.
• If it won’t hold a charge after a jump, the battery is likely at the end of its life — the X5 battery is in the boot under the right-side trim.

Fuse Boxes — Locations & Replacing a Fuse

If a 12V accessory has stopped working, check the fuse before anything else. The E70 has fuse/relay boxes in several places:

• Passenger compartment — behind the glovebox (the main interior box).
• Engine compartment — additional fuses and relays.
• Luggage compartment — a fuse/relay box on the right side, plus a box on the battery itself.

To change a fuse: find the right one using the label on the fuse-box lid for YOUR car, pull it with the plastic puller (not pliers), and fit a new fuse of the same amp rating. If it blows again, there’s a fault in that circuit — don’t keep fitting fuses, get it diagnosed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I connect jump leads on a BMW X5 E70?

To the engine-bay jump terminals: the positive post under its cover on the right, and a metal engine earth point for the negative. The actual battery is in the boot and isn’t used for jumping.

Where is the fuse box?

There are several: behind the glovebox, in the engine bay, and in the luggage compartment (including one on the battery). Use the lid legend on your car to identify the fuse.

If a circuit keeps blowing fuses or a warning stays on, look the code up on autodtcs.com.