Practical tips
WARNING
Always be aware of the danger of injury and
chemical burns as well as the risk of acci-
dent or fire when working on the battery
and the electrical system:
●
Wear eye protection. Protect your eyes,
skin and clothing from acid and particles
containing lead.
●
Battery acid is extremely corrosive. Wear
protective gloves and eye protection. Do
not tilt the batteries. This could spill acid
through the vents.
●
Neutralise any electrolyte splashes on the
skin, eyes or clothing with a soapy solution,
and rinse off with plenty of water. If acid is
swallowed by mistake, consult a doctor im-
mediately.
●
Fires, sparks, open flames and smoking
are prohibited. When handling cables and
electrical equipment, avoid causing sparks
and electrostatic charge. Never short the
battery terminals. High-energy sparks can
cause injury.
●
A highly explosive mixture of gases is re-
leased when the battery is under charge.
The batteries should be charged in a well-
ventilated room only.
●
Keep children away from acid and batter-
ies.
●
Before working on the electrical system,
you must switch off the engine, the ignition
and all electrical devices. The negative ca-
ble on the battery must be disconnected.
When a light bulb is changed, you need on-
ly switch off the light.
●
Deactivate the anti-theft alarm by un-
locking the vehicle before you disconnect
the battery! The alarm will otherwise be
triggered.
●
When disconnecting the battery from the
vehicle on-board network, disconnect first
the negative cable and then the positive
cable.
●
Switch off all electrical devices before re-
connecting the battery. Reconnect first the
positive cable and then the negative cable.
Never reverse the polarity of the connec-
tions. This could cause an electrical fire.
●
Never charge a frozen battery, or one
which has thawed. This could result in ex-
plosions and chemical burns. Always re-
place a battery which has frozen. A flat bat-
tery can also freeze at temperatures close
to 0°C (+32°F).
●
Ensure that the vent hose is always con-
nected to the battery.
●
Never use a defective battery. This could
cause an explosion. Replace a damaged
battery immediately.
CAUTION
●
Do not expose the battery to direct sun-
light over a long period of time, as the in-
tense ultraviolet radiation can damage the
battery housing.
●
If the vehicle is left standing in cold con-
ditions for a long period, protect the bat-
tery from “freezing”. If it freezes it will be
damaged.
Warning lamp
It lights up
Alternator fault.
The control lamp lights up when the ignition
is switched on. It should go out when the en-
gine has started running.
If the control lamp
lights up while driving,
the alternator is no longer charging the bat-
tery. You should immediately drive to the
nearest specialised workshop.
You should avoid using electrical equipment
that is not absolutely necessary because this
will drain the battery.
298
To Next Page
