10 Maintenance and service
10
379
WARNING
•
The battery can generate oxyhydrogen
gas, which is highly explosive. A spark
can be formed if a jump lead is con-
nected incorrectly, and this can be
enough for the battery to explode.
•
The battery contains sulphuric acid,
which can cause serious burns.
•
If sulphuric acid comes into contact
with eyes, skin or clothing, flush with
large quantities of water. If acid
splashes into the eyes - seek medical
attention immediately.
IMPORTANT
When charging the starter battery or the
support battery (p. 382), only use a mod-
ern battery charger with controlled charg-
ing voltage. Fast charging function must
not be used since it may damage the bat-
tery.
IMPORTANT
If the following instruction is not observed
then the energy saving function for info-
tainment system may be temporarily dis-
engaged, and/or the message in the com-
bined instrument panel's information dis-
play about the starter battery's state of
charge may be temporarily inapplicable,
following the connection of an external
starter battery or battery charger:
•
The negative battery terminal on the
car's starter battery must never be
used for connecting an external starter
battery or battery charger - only the
car chassis may be used as the
grounding point.
See Jump starting with battery (p. 270) for
a description of how the cable clamps
must be attached.
NOTE
The life of the battery is shortened if it
becomes discharged repeatedly.
The life of the battery is affected by several
factors, including driving conditions and
climate. Battery starting capacity decrea-
ses gradually with time and therefore
needs to be recharged if the car is not
used for a longer time or when it is only
driven short distances. Extreme cold fur-
ther limits starting capacity.
To maintain the battery in good condition,
at least 15 minutes of driving/week is rec-
ommended or that the battery is con-
nected to a battery charger with automatic
trickle charging.
A battery that is kept fully charged has a
maximum service life.
Related information
•
Battery - symbols (p. 380)
•
Starter battery - replacement (p. 380)
•
Battery - Start/Stop (p. 382)
