Charging The Battery - Skoda Octavia Owner's Manual

We recommend you have the electrolyte level checked by a specialist garage from
time to time, especially in the following cases.
● High outside temperatures.
● Long daily drives
● After each charge ⇒ p age 189.
On vehicles with a vehicle battery fitted with a colour indicator, the so-called mag-
⇒ f ig.
ic eye 155, the electrolyte level can be determined by looking at the change
in colour.
Air bubbles can influence the colour of the indicator. For this reason carefully
knock on the indicator before carrying out the check.
● Black colour - electrolyte level is correct.
● Colourless or light yellow colour - electrolyte level too low, the battery must be
replaced.
Note
● The battery electrolyte level is periodically checked by an authorised ŠKODA
Service Partner as part of the Inspection Service.
● For technical reasons, on vehicles with the description "AGM", the electrolyte
level cannot be checked.
● Vehicles with a "START-STOP" system are fitted with a battery control unit for
checking the energy level for the recurring engine start.
Operation in winter
The battery has to provide greater amounts of electricity during the winter. It also
has only part of the initial power output at low temperatures that it has at normal
temperatures.
A discharged battery may already freeze at temperatures just below 0 °C.
We therefore recommend that you have the battery checked by a specialist ga-
rage before the start of winter and recharged if necessary.
WARNING
Never charge a frozen or thawed battery - risk of explosion and caustic burns.
Replace a frozen battery.
Using the system Safety

Charging the battery

A properly charged battery is essential for reliably starting the en-
gine.
Read the warning notes ⇒
–
Switch the ignition and all electrical components off.
–
Only for "quick-charging": Disconnect both battery cables (first of all "nega-
–
tive", then "positive").
Carefully attach the terminal clamps of the charger to the battery terminals
–
(red = "positive", black = "negative").
– You can now plug the mains cable of the charger into the power socket and
switch on the charger.
– When charging is completed: switch the charger off and unplug the mains ca-
ble from the power socket.
– Only then should you disconnect the terminal clamps of the charger.
– Reconnect the cables to the battery (first of all "positive", then "negative").
It is not normally necessary to disconnect the cables of the battery if you recharge
the battery using low amperages (as for example from a mini-charger). Please al-

so refer to the instructions from the charger manufacturer.
A charging current of 0.1 of the total battery capacity (or lower) is that which
should be used until full charging is achieved.
It is, however, necessary to disconnect both cables before charging the battery
with high amperages, so-called "quick-charging".
"Quick-charging" a battery is dangerous ⇒
It requires a special charger and specialist knowledge. We recommend having the
quick charging of vehicle batteries undertaken by a specialist garage.
A discharged battery may already freeze at temperatures just below 0 °C ⇒
recommend that you no longer use a battery which has thawed out because the
casing of the battery may be cracked through the formation of ice and this would
allow battery electrolyte to flow out.
The vent plugs of the battery should not be opened for charging.

Driving Tips General Maintenance
Inspecting and Replenishing
in General information on page 187 and ⇒
in General information on page 187.
Breakdown assistance Technical data
189
.
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