MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE
361
WARNING
•The battery can generate oxyhydrogen
gas, which is highly explosive. A spark can
be formed if a jump lead is connected
incorrectly, and this can be enough for
the battery to explode.
•The battery contains sulphuric acid, which
can cause serious burns.
•If sulphuric acid comes into contact with
eyes, skin or clothing, flush with large
quantities of water. If acid splashes into
the eyes - seek medical attention imme-
diately.
IMPORTANT
When charging the starter battery or the sup-
port battery (p. 363), only use a modern bat-
tery charger with controlled charging voltage.
Fast charging function must not be used
since it may damage the battery.
IMPORTANT
If the following instruction is not observed
then the energy saving function for infotain-
ment system may be temporarily disengaged,
and/or the message in the combined instru-
ment panel's information display about the
starter battery's state of charge may be tem-
porarily inapplicable, following the connection
of an external battery or battery charger:
•The negative battery terminal on the car's
starter battery must never be used for
connecting an external battery or battery
charger - only the car chassis may be
used as the grounding point.
See Jump starting (p. 271) for a description
of how the cable clamps must be attached.
NOTE
The life of the battery is shortened if it
becomes discharged repeatedly.
The life of the battery is affected by several
factors, including driving conditions and cli-
mate. Battery starting capacity decreases
gradually with time and therefore needs to be
recharged if the car is not used for a longer
time or when it is only driven short distances.
Extreme cold further limits starting capacity.
To maintain the battery in good condition, at
least 15 minutes of driving/week is recom-
mended or that the battery is connected to a
battery charger with automatic trickle charg-
ing.
A battery that is kept fully charged has a
maximum service life.
Related information
•Battery - symbols (p. 362)
•Starter battery - replacement (p. 362)
