Jump-Start the Car

The Mercedes E-Class W213 is jump-started at dedicated connection points under the hood, so you do not need to reach the battery itself. There is a positive terminal under a cover and a separate earth (ground) point.

Use a 12V donor only, and follow the clamp order exactly to protect the electronics.

How to jump-start the E-Class

1. Secure the car: parking brake on, automatic in P, ignition and all consumers off. The two cars must not touch.
2. Open the hood and slide back the cover over the positive jump-start terminal.
3. Connect the positive lead to your car’s positive terminal first, then to the donor battery’s positive post.
4. Connect the donor battery’s negative post, then your car’s earth/ground point (not the battery).
5. Start the donor car and let it idle, then start your E-Class.
6. Let both run a few minutes. Before disconnecting, switch on a consumer such as the rear-window heater.
7. Remove the leads in reverse: earth point first, then the donor negative, then both positive clamps.

On right-hand-drive cars the connection points may be on the opposite side of the engine bay. Using the dedicated terminals means the location of the main battery itself does not matter for a boost.

Mild-hybrid (EQ Boost) and plug-in hybrid models: follow the extra notes in the owner’s supplement. Getting a hybrid boost wrong can damage the 48V or high-voltage electronics, so if in doubt call for assistance.

Where do I connect jumper cables on a Mercedes E-Class?

To the dedicated points in the engine bay: the positive terminal under a cover and a separate earth point, not directly to the battery.

If the car still will not start after a good boost, the fault is likely beyond a flat battery. A stored code, which you can read free on autodtcs.com, will point you in the right direction.