WARNING
Always be aware of the danger of injury
and chemical burns as well as the risk of
accident or fire when working on the bat-
tery 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 solu-
tion, and rinse off with plenty of water. If
acid is swallowed by mistake, consult a
doctor immediately.
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 bat-
●
teries.
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.
Checking and refilling levels
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
●
reconnecting the battery. Reconnect first
the positive cable and then the negative
cable. Never reverse the polarity of the
connections. 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
battery 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.
48-volt battery
48-volt battery
Fig. 208
Never expose the 48 volt battery to sour-
1
ces of fire, sparks or unprotected flames.
The instruction manual and the workshop
2
information contain further information
and warnings to this regard.
Always keep children away from the 48
3
volt battery.
If the 48-volt battery is damaged, fluid
4
can leak and very corrosive acids can
form. Always handle the battery with
care.
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