Mercedes-Benz A-Class Operator's Manual page 284

282 Breakdown assistance 282
& W W ARNING
ARNING Risk of explosion from a frozen
battery
A discharged battery may freeze at tempera-
tures slightly above or below freezing point.
During starting assistance or battery charging,
battery gas can be released.
Always allow a battery to thaw before
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charging it or performing starting assis-
tance.
If the indicator/warning lamps in the instrument
cluster do not light up at low temperatures, it is
very likely that the discharged battery has frozen.
In this case you may neither jump-start the vehi-
cle nor charge the battery.
The service life of a battery that has been thawed
may be dramatically shortened. The starting char-
acteristics may be impaired, especially at low
temperatures.
It is recommended that you have a thawed battery
checked at a quali ed specialist workshop.
* N N O O TE TE Damage caused by numerous or
extended attempts to start the engine
Numerous or extended attempts to start the
engine may damage the catalytic converter
due to non-combusted fuel.
Avoid numerous and extended attempts
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to start the engine.
Observe the following points during starting assis-
tance and when charging the battery:
Only use undamaged jumper cable/charging
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cables with a su cient cross-section and
insulated terminal clamps.
Non-insulated parts of the terminal clamps
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must not come into contact with other metal
parts while the jumper cable/charging cable
is connected to the battery/jump-start con-
nection point.
The jumper cable/charging cable must not
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come into contact with any parts which may
move when the engine is running.
Always make sure that neither you nor the bat-
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tery is electrostatically charged.
Keep away from re and open ames.
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Do not lean over the battery.
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Observe the additional following points when
charging the battery:
Only use battery chargers tested and
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approved for Mercedes-Benz.
Read the battery charger's operating instruc-
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tions before charging the battery.
Observe the additional following points during
starting assistance:
For starting assistance, only use batteries with
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a nominal voltage of 12 V.
The vehicles must not touch.
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Gasoline engine: Only accept starting assis- Gasoline engine:
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tance if the engine and exhaust system are
cold.
S S t t ar arting assist ting assistance and c ance and char harging t ging the 12 V batt he 12 V battery
R R eq equir uirements: ements:
The vehicle is secured with the electric park-
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ing brake.
ery