Disconnect and Reconnect the Battery

Disconnecting the 12 V battery on your Genesis GV70 (JK1, 2020–2024) is a job you can do at home once you know one key thing: on this car the battery lives in the boot, not under the bonnet. You’ll want to do it to fit a new battery, to lay the car up over winter, to work safely near the airbags or seat-belt pretensioners, or to fully isolate the electrics before other work. Take the negative terminal off first and refit the positive first, and the GV70 relearns its settings cleanly within a few minutes and a short drive.

Where the 12 V Battery Is

On the GV70 the 12 V battery is in the luggage compartment (boot), under the trim — typically behind a panel on one side of the load area. Lift or unclip 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 plastic guard. Some cars also route a remote positive jump-start point in the engine bay, but the battery you disconnect is the one in the boot.

First, a Few Checks

• Turn the ignition fully off, take the key well away from the car and close the doors so nothing wakes the electronics.
• Switch off every consumer — lights, climate, boot lamp — so there’s no load on the terminals.
• Note your radio and infotainment settings, any head-unit code, the clock and your paired devices.
• 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 clear the load area so you can work.

Disconnecting

1. Confirm the ignition is off and every consumer is switched off.
2. Expose the battery in the boot 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. If you’re working 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 trim, switch on and let the car settle for a moment before starting.

What You’ll Need to Reset Afterwards

• Clock and radio — re-enter the time, presets and any security code.
• Power windows — re-initialise the one-touch/anti-pinch function using our GV70 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 voltage 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 ten minutes so idle, throttle and tyre pressures relearn.
• Redo the window re-initialisation if the auto-up has stopped working.
• If the battery is old or was deeply flat, suspect the battery itself before your work.
• Any light that won’t clear has logged a code — look it up on autodtcs.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the battery on a Genesis GV70?

In the luggage compartment (boot), under the trim — not in the engine bay. Genesis places it there for weight balance and cabin space, so lift the boot side panel to reach the terminals.

Which terminal do I disconnect first?

Take the negative (−) terminal off first and reconnect it last. That stops 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 radio presets, re-initialise the one-touch windows and re-store the tyre pressures. Seat and mirror memory may also need re-saving. Most settings return with a menu step or relearn themselves after a short drive.

Does a new battery need coding on the GV70?

A like-for-like replacement of the same type and rating generally doesn’t need coding to drive away. Fit the correct type for your car; where a battery-management system is used, a reset helps the charging strategy treat the new battery as fresh.

Will disconnecting the battery reset the service light?

No — the service interval reminder is stored separately and isn’t cleared just by pulling power. Temporary warning lights may self-clear once voltage returns, but a genuine stored fault will come back because the underlying cause is still present.

Can I jump-start it instead of removing the battery?

Yes, if you only need to get going after a flat — use the jump-start points rather than climbing into the boot. Remove the battery only when renewing it, storing the car long-term, or isolating the electrics for other work.

To relearn the windows after reconnecting, see our GV70 power-window guide. If a warning light stays on, decode it on autodtcs.com.