These instructions apply to the Daihatsu Terios Mk2 (J2) 2006-2017.
For other models, please choose your vehicle here.
Disconnecting the 12 V battery on your Daihatsu Terios (J2, 2006–2017) is a job most owners can do on the driveway with a single spanner. You might need to do it to fit a fresh battery, to isolate the electrics before working near the airbags or seat-belt pretensioners, to lay the car up for winter storage, or to recover after a jump-start. The Terios is a simple, mechanically honest little 4×4, and its electrical architecture is equally straightforward — disconnect and reconnect the terminals in the right order and it wakes up cleanly, with only a couple of small items to reset by hand.
Where the 12 V Battery Is
On the Terios the 12 V battery sits in the engine compartment, in the usual front corner. Open the bonnet and you will find it standing upright with two cables clamped to posts on top: the negative (−) lead, which bolts to the black terminal and runs to the body/engine as earth, and the positive (+) lead on the red terminal, usually hidden under a hinged red or black plastic cap. Lift or flip that cap back so you can see the post clearly before you touch anything. Take a moment to identify which is which — getting the order right is the whole safety point of the job.
First, a Few Checks
- Turn the ignition fully off, take the key well away from the car, and close the doors you are not using so nothing keeps a circuit live.
- Switch off the lights, heater blower, radio and any accessories so there is no load on the battery as you break the connection.
- Note your radio security code and preset stations now, if your set uses one — you may need to key the code back in afterwards.
- Wait a couple of minutes after switching off so the control modules power down; this is doubly important if you will be working near the airbags or pretensioners.
- Have the correct spanner ready (the clamp nuts are usually 10 mm), and wear gloves and eye protection — a battery can spit if a spanner bridges the terminals.
Find the Battery First
Disconnecting
- With the ignition off and everything switched off, loosen the clamp nut on the negative (−) terminal first.
- Ease the negative clamp off the post and tuck the cable to one side so it cannot spring back onto the terminal.
- Now loosen and remove the positive (+) clamp. With the earth already off, the system is dead and you can work safely.
- If you are working near the airbags or seat-belt pretensioners, wait a few minutes after disconnecting before you go near them.
Reconnecting
- Refit the positive (+) terminal first. Seat the clamp fully on the post and nip the nut up snug.
- Reconnect the negative (−) clamp last and tighten it.
- Check both clamps are tight and cannot be twisted by hand — a loose earth is the most common cause of odd electrical behaviour after this job.
What You’ll Need to Reset Afterwards
The Terios keeps things simple, so the memory-loss list is short:
- Clock and radio presets — reset the time and re-enter your stations, plus the security code if the set asks for one.
- Power windows — the one-touch/auto function can drop out; re-initialise it as shown in our Terios power-window guide.
- Warning lights — any that flicker on tend to self-clear after a short drive once the systems have seen normal running again.
If a Warning Light Stays On or the Car Feels Off
- Re-check that both clamps are tight; a slightly loose connection mimics all sorts of faults.
- Take a short, steady drive to let the systems relearn before you assume anything is wrong.
- Repeat the window re-initialisation if one-touch still will not work.
- If the car was hard to start or the light returns, the battery itself may simply be old or flat — test it before chasing electronics.
- A light that stays on has stored a code you can read and look up to see what it points to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the 12 V battery on a Daihatsu Terios?
In the engine compartment, in the usual front corner. Open the bonnet and you will see it standing upright with the two cable clamps on top; the positive post is under a coloured cap.
Which terminal do I disconnect first?
The negative (−) terminal comes off first and goes back on last. Taking the earth off first means the system is already dead when you touch the positive, so a slipped spanner cannot short against the bodywork.
What do I have to reset after reconnecting?
Very little — reset the clock and radio presets, re-enter the radio code if your set uses one, and re-initialise the one-touch power windows. Most warning lights clear themselves after a short drive.
Does a new battery need coding on a Terios?
No. This generation of Terios uses a plain 12 V battery, so a like-for-like replacement of the correct size and rating simply drops in — there is no battery-management registration to perform.
Will disconnecting the battery clear my fault codes or the service light?
It may clear some stored codes and drop the ECU’s learned values, but it is not a reliable way to reset a service reminder and it will not fix an underlying fault — the code usually returns once the car runs again if the cause is still there.
Can I jump-start it instead of disconnecting?
If the aim is just to start a flat car, yes — a jump-start avoids disturbing the terminals at all. Only disconnect when you are renewing the battery, storing the car, or isolating the electrics for other work.
To relearn the windows, see our Terios power-window guide. If a warning light stays on, decode it on autodtcs.com.
Independent guide — not affiliated with Daihatsu. Always follow your official service manual and safety precautions. Read our full disclaimer.