Checking and Filling
-If you get batt ery acid in your eyes or on
your skin, immediately rinse with cold wa
ter for several minutes and get medical at
tention .
- If you should ingest any battery acid, seek
medical attention immediately.
- Do not expose the battery to an open flame, electric sparks or an open light .
- Do not smoke.
- Do not interchange the positive and nega-
tive cables.
- When working on the battery, be sure not to short-circuit the terminals with tools or oth
er metal objects. This would cause the bat
tery to heat up very quickly, which could lead to damage or explosion and personal
injury.
- When a battery is charged, it produces hy
drogen gas which is explosive and could
cause personal injury.
- Always keep the battery well out of the
reach of children.
- Before work is done on the electrical sys
tem, disconnect the nega tive ground cable .
- Before performing any work on the electri cal system, switch off the engine and igni
tion as well as any electrical equipment. The negative cable on the battery must be dis
connected. If you are just going to replace a
light bulb, then it is enough to switch off
the lights.
- Before disconnecting the battery, sw itch off
the anti-theft alarm system! Otherwise you
will set off the alarm.
- When disconnecting the battery, first dis
connect the negative cable and then the
positive cable.
- Before reconnecting the battery, make sure
all electrical consumers are switched off.
Reconnect the positive cable first and then
the negative cable. Never interchange the
cabl es - this could start a fire!
- Never charge a frozen or a thawed-out bat
tery . It could explode! If a battery has fro
zen, then it must be replaced. A discharged
battery can freeze over at 32°F (0°C).
- Make sure the vent hose is always attached
to the opening on the side of the battery.
202
- Never use batteries which are damaged .
There is the danger of an explosion! Always
replace a damaged battery.
A WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Battery posts, terminals and related acces
sories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive problems.
Wash hands after handling .
(D Note
- Do not disconnect the vehicle battery when
the ignition is switched on or when the en
gine is running, otherwise, you will damage
electronic components in the electrical sys
tem .
-If your vehicle is going to stand for a long
period of time without being driven, protect
the battery from "freezing" , otherwise it
will be damaged and will then have to be re
placed.
Battery charging
Starting the engine requires a well charged bat tery .
Fig. 165 En g in e compar tment : Co nnectors for charger and
jumper cab les
Always read and heed all WARNINGS below
9 A and ¢ A in Working on the battery on
page 201.
.,. Turn off the ignition and all electrical consum
ers.
.,. Make sure the area is well ventilated when you
charge the battery.
Iii>-
Emergency situations
Emergency situations
General
This chapter is intended for trained emergency crews and working personnel who have the nec
essary tools and equipment to perform these
operations.
Starting by pushing or
towing
CD Note
Vehicles with an automatic transmission
cannot be started by pushing or towing.
Starting with jumper
cables
If necessary, the engine con be started by con
necting it to the battery of another vehicle.
If the engine should fail to start because of a dis
charged or weak battery, the battery can be con
nected to the battery of
another vehicle, using a
pair of jumper cables to start the engine.
Jumper cables
Use only jumper cables of sufficiently largecross
section
to carry the starter current safely. Refer
to the manufacturer's specifications.
Use only jumper cables with
insulated terminal
clamps which are distinctly marked :
plus(+) cable in most cases colored red
minus(-) cable
in most cases colored black.
A WARNING
Batteries contain electricity, acid, and gas.
Any of these can cause very serious or fatal in
jury. Follow the instructions below for
safe
handling of your vehicle's battery.
-Always shield your eyes and avoid leaning
over the battery whenever possible.
-A discharged battery can freeze at tempera
tures just below 32 °F (0 °C). Before con
necting a jumper cable, you must thaw the
236
frozen battery completely, otherwise it could explode.
- Do not allow battery acid to contact eyes or
skin. Flush any contacted area with water immediately.
- Improper use of a booster battery to start a
vehicle may cause an explosion.
- Vehicle batteries generate explosive gases.
Keep sparks, flame and lighted cigarettes
away from batteries.
- Do not try to jump start any vehicle with a
low acid level in the battery.
- The voltage of the booster battery must also
have a 12-Volt rating. The capacity (Ah) of
the booster battery should not be lower
than that of the discharged battery. Use of
batteries of different voltage or substantial
ly different "Ah" rating may cause an explo
sion and personal injury.
- Never charge a frozen battery. Gas trapped in the ice may cause an explosion.
- Never charge or use a battery that has been
frozen . The battery
case may have be weak
ened .
- Use of batteries of different voltage or sub
stantially different capacity (Ah) rating may
cause an explosion and injury. The capacity
(Ah) of the booster battery should not be
lower than that of the discharged battery.
- Before you check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS
~page 191.
CD Note
-Applying a higher voltage booster battery
will cause expensive damage to sensitive
electronic components, such as control
units, relays, radio, etc.
- There must be no electrical contact between
the vehicles as otherwise current could al
ready start to flow as soon as the positive
(+) terminals are connected.
@ Tips
The discharged battery must be properly con-
nected to the vehicle's electrical system. .,..