Disconnect and Reconnect the 12V Battery

Disconnecting the 12 V battery on your Genesis GV60 (JW, 2022–2024) — the brand’s electric crossover — is a job you can do at home for winter storage, before working near the airbags or seat-belt pretensioners, or to fully isolate the low-voltage electrics. Being an EV, the GV60 has two completely separate electrical systems: the low-voltage 12 V battery that runs the lights, locks, screens and control modules, and a sealed high-voltage traction battery that drives the car. This guide covers the 12 V battery only. The high-voltage system, identified by its orange cabling, is not owner-serviceable — never touch it. Done in the right order, the 12 V battery is no more dangerous to disconnect than on any petrol car.

Where the 12 V Battery Is

On the GV60 the 12 V battery is in the front service compartment, under the front cover. Lift the cover to reach the terminals. Identify the posts before you touch anything: the negative (−) terminal is black and earths to the body, and the positive (+) terminal is red under a hinged guard. The high-voltage drive battery is separate, sealed and lives beneath the floor — you never open or disconnect it, and you keep well clear of any orange cabling.

Before You Start

• Switch the car fully off — make sure it is not in READY — take the key well away and close the doors.
• Switch off every consumer so there’s no load on the terminals as you break the connection.
• Note your infotainment settings, driver profile, clock and paired devices before power is lost.
• Wait a couple of minutes for the control modules to power down before loosening anything.
• Have the right spanner, gloves and eye protection ready, and keep clear of any orange high-voltage cabling.

Disconnecting

1. Confirm the car is fully off (not READY), the key is away and all consumers are switched off.
2. Open the front service compartment and loosen the clamp on the negative (−) terminal first. Ease it off the post and tuck the lead aside so it can’t spring back.
3. Remove the positive (+) lead only if you’re taking the battery out; for most work, isolating the negative is enough.
4. Near the airbags or pretensioners, wait a few minutes after disconnecting before you start.

Reconnecting

1. Refit the positive (+) terminal first, seating the clamp fully before you tighten it.
2. Reconnect the negative (−) terminal last and nip both clamps up snug.
3. Refit the front cover, then power the car up and let it settle for a moment.

What You’ll Need to Reset Afterwards

• Clock and infotainment — re-enter the time, presets and your driver profile.
• Power windows — re-initialise the one-touch/anti-pinch function using our GV60 power-window guide.
• Tyre pressure monitor — let the pressures re-store over a short drive.
• Seat and mirror memory — re-save your preferred positions if fitted.
• Some warning lights glow briefly and self-clear once the 12 V supply is steady and the car has been driven.

If a Warning Light Stays On or the Car Feels Off

• Re-check that both clamps are tight and fully seated — a loose earth causes odd, intermittent faults.
• Drive gently for a few miles so the systems relearn and the tyre pressures re-store.
• Redo the window re-initialisation if the auto-up has stopped working.
• If the 12 V battery is old or was flat, suspect the battery itself rather than your work — even an EV needs a healthy 12 V battery to boot up.
• Any light that won’t clear has logged a code — look it up on autodtcs.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the 12 V battery on a Genesis GV60?

In the front service compartment, under the front cover — separate from the high-voltage drive battery, which is sealed beneath the floor. You only ever work on the 12 V battery up front.

Is it safe to disconnect the battery on an EV?

Yes. The 12 V battery is an ordinary low-voltage battery and handling it is no different from a petrol car. The one hard rule is that the high-voltage system, marked by orange cabling, is off-limits — never touch or disconnect it.

Which terminal do I disconnect first?

Take the negative (−) terminal off first and reconnect it last. That prevents the live positive lead being earthed through your spanner. On reassembly the order reverses: positive on first, negative last.

What needs resetting after I reconnect?

Plan to redo the clock and infotainment settings, re-initialise the one-touch windows and re-store the tyre pressures. Your driver profile, seat and mirror memory may also need re-saving. Most items return with a menu step or relearn on a short drive.

Does the new 12 V battery need coding on the GV60?

A like-for-like replacement of the correct type and rating — typically an AGM unit — generally doesn’t need coding to work. Where a battery-management system is used, a reset helps the charging strategy treat the new battery as fresh.

Can I jump-start the 12 V system instead?

Yes — if the 12 V battery is flat and the car won’t wake up, you can jump the 12 V side using the designated points, just as on a petrol car. Only remove the battery when renewing it, storing the car, or isolating the low-voltage electrics for other work.

To relearn the windows after reconnecting, see our GV60 power-window guide. If a warning light stays on, decode it on autodtcs.com.