As for batteries under the back seat. This is a great location if you are into car audio. Makes it very easy to add amps. Also, every car I've ever seen with a battery under the seat, has posts in the engine compartment in case of the need for a jump.

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1983 240D
www.againsttcpa.com
www.hydrogenaudio.org
www.ntfs.org

oh yeh , hehe i forgot vw bugs had them under the back seat as well with a plastic protector for the positive terminal so the seat springs wouldn't short out on it when someone sat on top of it - lol

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1984 300D Turbo - 231k....totalled 11/30/07 RIP

Rick,

Alarmist no, smart yes.

Have a great day,

yes, very good for stereo amps.
My '83 audi 5000S didn't have any terminals under the hood. You had to connect to the power cable connecting at the starter if you couldn't get the car close enough to the left rear door. Not fun on a dark rainy night, which of course was the only time anyone ever needed a jump

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past MB rides:
'68 220D
'68 220D(another one)
'67 230
'84 SD
Current rides:
'06 Lexus RX330
'93 Ford F-250
'96 Corvette
'99 Polaris 700 RMK sled
2011 Polaris Assault
'86 Yamaha TT350(good 'ol thumper)

Several years ago I was driving down my long, bumpy driveway in the "64" bug, heard a thump, thump, felt a draft..... the battery rusted right through and fell out, Na, I dont like the battery under the seat, fact is the steel member above the battery looks like sombodys been practicing welding on it, Gota watch you dont get too many "hefty heffers" in the back seat.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

This topic reminds me of what happend to an old Frat brother in college. He was a big guy. He took his date out in his VW bug one night, parked and got in the back seat (~!) and the weight of the two of them caused the battery posts to make intermittent contact with the rusty steel in the seat bottom, and the seat stuffing caught fire. This was embarrassing to say the least, he had to yank the seat out and leave it smoldering somewhere, then take her back to the dorm smelling like what I would imagine to be burnt rubberized horsehair. tsk tsk!

FWIW, I installed my battery in the trunk of the 220. I needed room under the hood for electronic ignition stuff. Wanna see a pic?
Dieseldiehard

Sears sells a DieHard International battery specifically for these applications. It is about $100 and comes with new rubber vent tube. The terminals on these batteries are also recessed below the top of the battery, I assume, to prevent contact with anything above it. I think an Optima would be a good choice too but slightly more expensive and not really necessary.

dieseldiehard


"He was a big guy", "the seat stuffing caught fire"

Looking on the brighter side, That coulda saved him a trip to the chiropractor. mighta been worth it tho.

Steve

a pal of mine was smoking some rope in the back seat and we hit a dip in the road. well the metal spring support in the seat hooked on the uncovered positive battery terminal and the back seat was "FLAMES!". If the battery overcharges the car will stink to high heaven and the caps may blow off, spewing acid everywhere. This is the ONLY post that I will swear as being first hand, dangerous, and true! (yea right).


thebern

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1982 240D 313,000 (4 speed)
1984 300CD 172,483
1985 German Shepherd Dog -Lacey- R.I.P.11/04/05

Hood Stars, Wrist Crowns and Obsession Dobs

I think a battery under back seats is not only a bad placement but also a dangerous one.

1) Hydrogen build-up in a closed space. Don't expect that all users are knowledgeable enough to buy appropriate batteries with vent tube. An explosion can easily kill passengers.

2) Neglected batteries under back seats will ooze out corrosive H2SO4 and potentially debilitate the structural body integrity of a car.

3) Fallen debris and sacked back seats may cause a short with the result as a fire or explosion.

Too dangerous, methink.

Eric