GWARNING
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.
If the warning and indicator lamps do not light up on the instrument cluster when temperatures are low, it is probably because the discharged battery has frozen. In this case, you may neither charge
the battery nor jump-start the vehicle. The service life of a thawed-out battery may be shorter. The
starting characteristics can be impaired, particularly at low temperatures. Have the thawed-out
battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
All vehicles:
!Vehicles with a gasoline engine: avoid repeated and lengthy starting attempts. Otherwise, the
catalytic converter could be damaged by non-combusted fuel.
Do not start the vehicle using a rapid charging device. If your vehicle's battery is discharged, the
engine can be jump-started from another vehicle or from a second battery using jumper cables.
Observe the following points:
RThe battery is not accessible in all vehicles. If the other vehicle's battery is not accessible, jump-
start the vehicle using a second battery or a jump-starting device.
RVehicles with a gasoline engine: only jump-start the vehicle when the engine and exhaust
system are cold.
RAll vehicles except vehicles with a lithium-ion battery: do not start the engine if the battery
is frozen. Let the battery thaw first.
RJump-starting may be performed only using batteries with a nominal voltage of 12 V.
ROnly use jumper cables which have a sufficient cross-section and insulated terminal clamps.
RIf the battery is fully discharged, leave the battery that is being used to jump-start connected for
a few minutes before attempting to start. This charges the battery slightly.
RMake sure that the two vehicles do not touch.
Make sure that:
RThe jumper cables are not damaged.
RBare parts of the terminal clamp do not come into contact with other metal parts while the jumper
cables are connected to the battery.
RThe jumper cables cannot come into contact with parts that can move when the engine is running,
such as the V-belt pulley or the fan.
XSecure the vehicle by applying the electric parking brake.
XShift the transmission to position j.
XMake sure that the ignition is switched off. All indicator lamps in the instrument cluster must be
off. When using the SmartKey, turn the SmartKey to position uin the ignition lock and remove it
(
Ypage 136).
XSwitch off all electrical consumers, e.g. rear window defroster, lighting, etc.
XOpen the hood.
326Jump-starting
Breakdown assistance
