144IN AN EMERGENCY
IF THE BATTERY
IS FLAT
First of all, read the “Vehicle main-
tenance” section for the steps to be
taken to avoid the battery running
down and to ensure it has a long life.
IF THE BATTERY IS FLAT
Charging should be slow at a low
amp rating for 24 hours. Charging for
a longer time may damage the battery.
Proceed as follows:
1) Disconnect the electrical system
from the battery terminals.
IMPORTANTWhere relevant,
switch the electronic alarm off with
the remote control.2)Connect the charger cables to the
battery terminals.
3)Turn on the charger.
4)When you have finished, turn the
charger off before disconnecting the
battery.
5)Reconnect the cables to the bat-
tery terminals. Make sure the polari-
ty is correct.JUMP STARTING
See “Jump starting”, in this chapter.
The liquid in the battery
is poisonous and corro-
sive. Do not let it touch
the skin or eyes. Recharging the
battery should be done in a well-
ventilated area away from naked
flames or possible sources of
sparks: explosion and fire risk.
Do not attempt to
recharge a frozen bat-
tery. Thaw it first other-
wise it could explode. If the bat-
tery froze, make sure that the in-
ternal elements are not broken
(short-circuit risk) and that the
casing is not cracked (risk of
spilling the poisonous and corro-
sive fluid).
Under no circumstances
should a battery charger
be used to start the en-
gine: it could damage the elec-
tronic systems and in particular
the ignition and injection control
units.
