&
WARNING Risk of explosion from a fro‐
zen battery
A discharged battery may freeze at tempera‐
tures slightly above or below freezing point.
During starting assistance or battery charg‐
ing, battery gas can be released.
#
Always allow a battery to thaw before
charging it or performing starting assis‐
tance.
If the indicator/warning lamps in the instrument
cluster do not light up at low temperatures, it is
very likely that the discharged battery has fro‐
zen. In this case you may neither jump-start the
vehicle nor charge the battery.
The service life of a battery that has been
thawed may be dramatically shortened. The
starting characteristics may be impaired, espe‐
cially at low temperatures.
It is recommended that you have a thawed bat‐
tery checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
*
NOTE Damage caused by numerous or
extended attempts to start the engine
Numerous or extended attempts to start the
engine may damage the catalytic converter
due to non-combusted fuel.
#
Avoid numerous and extended attempts
to start the engine.
Observe the following points during starting
assistance and when charging the battery:
R
Only use undamaged jumper cables/charg‐
ing cables with a sufficient cross-section and
insulated terminal clamps.
R
Non-insulated parts of the terminal clamps
must not come into contact with other metal
parts while the jumper cable/charging cable
is connected to the battery/jump-start con‐
nection point.
R
The jumper cable/charging cable must not
come into contact with any parts which may
move when the engine is running.
R
Always make sure that neither you nor the
battery is electrostatically charged.
R
Keep away from fire and open flames.
R
Do not lean over the battery.
Observe the additional following points when
charging the battery:
R
Only use battery chargers tested and
approved for Mercedes-Benz.
R
Read the battery charger's operating instruc‐
tions before charging the battery.
Observe the additional following points during
starting assistance:
R
For starting assistance, only use batteries
with a nominal voltage of 12 V.
R
The vehicles must not touch.
R
Gasoline engines: Only accept starting
assistance if the engine and exhaust system
are cold.
Starting assistance and charging the 12 V
battery
Requirements
Breakdown assistance
411
