Cross-reference chart

JIS to BCI cross-reference — finding the right battery for European and Japanese vehicles

Battery group standards aren't universal. Japanese-import vehicles list JIS codes; European vehicles list DIN. North American dealers stock BCI numbers. Most batteries are physically compatible across all three — the trick is knowing the mapping. Here's the practical version.

JIS — Japanese (Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, Subaru, Lexus)

  • D23 (JIS) ≈ BCI Group 35N — Camry, Corolla, Accord, RAV4, Outback
  • D26 (JIS) ≈ BCI Group 24F / 24 — Tacoma, F-150 top-post variants
  • B20 (JIS) ≈ BCI Group 151R — small JDM imports
  • NS60 (JIS) ≈ BCI Group 51R — Civic, CR-V, Accord (newer)
  • BCI65 (JIS) ≈ BCI Group 65 — F-150 (newer EcoBoost), large North American pickups

DIN — European (BMW, Mercedes, Audi, VW)

  • L2 (DIN) ≈ BCI Group 47/H5 — A4, C-Class, 3-Series base engines, Jetta
  • L3 (DIN) ≈ BCI Group 48/H6 — Edge EcoBoost, mid-size Euros
  • L4 (DIN) ≈ BCI Group 94R/H7 — larger Euros, 5-Series, X5
  • L5 (DIN) ≈ BCI Group 49/H8 — large luxury, S-Class, BMW 7-Series
  • LB1/LB2/LB3 (DIN) — smaller compacts, older mid-size

How the cross-reference actually works

The physical case dimensions are within ±5 mm across the three standards — what differs is the suffix conventions, the terminal post style (JIS top-posts are smaller diameter than BCI top-posts, but reduction adapters are standard), and the CCA rating method. A Group 47/H5 battery from a Canadian dealer drops into the tray of an Audi A4 perfectly. The terminal clamps need their bolts re-tensioned because the post diameter is slightly smaller, but no adapters are required.

Heavy-duty box types — 4D, 8D, 31, 31S — are BCI-only codes for commercial / industrial / marine applications and aren't cross-referenced to JIS or DIN. They're the same case everywhere.

The practical workflow

Use our fitment finder with the year, make, and model — we handle the cross-reference under the hood. If your owner's manual lists a JIS or DIN code, our SKU pages list the BCI equivalent (and vice versa). When in doubt, take a photo of the existing battery from above and send it in — the case proportions are usually enough.

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