immediately. Do not drive any further. You
should have all work involving the battery car- ried out at a qualified specialist workshop.
For further information about ABS and ESP ®
,
see (Y page 63) and (Y page 66). G
WARNING
Electrostatic build-up can lead to the creation of sparks, which could ignite the highly explo-
sive gases of a battery. There is a risk of an
explosion.
Before handling the battery, touch the vehicle body to remove any existing electrostatic
build-up.
The highly flammable gas mixture forms when
charging the battery as well as when jump-
starting.
Always make sure that neither you nor the
battery is electrostatically charged. A build-
up of electrostatic charge can be caused, for
example:
R by wearing clothing made from synthetic
fibers
R due to friction between clothing and seats
R if you push or pull the battery across the
carpet or other synthetic materials
R if you wipe the battery with a cloth G
WARNING
During the charging process, a battery produ- ces hydrogen gas. If a short circuit occurs or
sparks are created, the hydrogen gas can
ignite. There is a risk of an explosion.
R Make sure that the positive terminal of a
connected battery does not come into con- tact with vehicle parts.
R Never place metal objects or tools on a bat-
tery.
R It is important that you observe the descri-
bed order of the battery terminals when
connecting and disconnecting a battery.
R When jump-starting, make sure that the
battery poles with identical polarity are
connected. R
It is particularly important to observe the
described order when connecting and dis-
connecting the jumper cables.
R Never connect or disconnect the battery
terminals while the engine is running. G
WARNING
Battery acid is caustic. There is a risk of injury. Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing. Do
not inhale any battery gases. Do not lean over
the battery. Keep children away from batter-
ies. Wash away battery acid immediately with
plenty of clean water and seek medical atten- tion. H
Environmental note Batteries contain dangerous
substances. It is against the
law to dispose of them with
the household rubbish. They
must be collected separately
and recycled to protect the
environment. Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally friendly
manner. Take discharged
batteries to a qualified spe-
cialist workshop or a special
collection point for used bat-
teries.
! Have the battery checked regularly at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Observe the service intervals in the Main-
tenance Booklet or contact a qualified spe-
cialist workshop for more information.
Comply with safety precautions and take pro-
tective measures when handling batteries. Risk of explosion.
Fire, open flames and smoking are
prohibited when handling the bat-
tery. Avoid creating sparks. 286
BatteriesRoadside Assistance
Jump-starting
For the jump-starting procedure, use only the jump-starting connection point, consisting of a positive terminal and a ground point, in the engine compartment. G
WARNING
Battery acid is caustic. There is a risk of injury.
Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing. Do not inhale any battery gases. Do not lean over the
battery. Keep children away from batteries. Wash away battery acid immediately with plenty of
clean water and seek medical attention. G
WARNING
During charging and jump-starting, explosive gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of an explosion.
Particularly avoid fire, open flames, creating sparks and smoking. Ensure there is sufficient ven-
tilation while charging and jump-starting. Do not lean over a battery. G
WARNING
During the charging process, a battery produces hydrogen gas. If a short circuit occurs or sparks
are created, the hydrogen gas can ignite. There is a risk of an explosion.
R Make sure that the positive terminal of a connected battery does not come into contact with
vehicle parts.
R Never place metal objects or tools on a battery.
R It is important that you observe the described order of the battery terminals when connecting
and disconnecting a battery.
R When jump-starting, make sure that the battery poles with identical polarity are connected.
R It is particularly important to observe the described order when connecting and disconnecting
the jumper cables.
R Never connect or disconnect the battery terminals while the engine is running. G
WARNING
A discharged battery can freeze at temperatures below freezing point. When jump-starting the
vehicle or charging the battery, gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of an explosion.
Allow the frozen battery to thaw out before charging it or jump-starting.
! Avoid repeated and lengthy starting attempts.
Do not use a rapid-charging device to start the engine.
If the indicator/warning lamps do not light up at low temperatures, it is very likely that the
discharged battery has frozen. In this case you may neither jump-start the vehicle nor charge the battery. The service life of a thawed-out battery may be shorter. Have the thawed-out
battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
If the 12 V battery is discharged, or after the vehicle has been jump-started, the Without
Without
changing gear, consult workshop
changing gear, consult workshop message appears. There is a malfunction in the on-
board voltage. Visit a qualified specialist workshop immediately.290
Jump-startingRoadside Assistance
