Skoda OCTAVIA - 05-2010 Owner's Manual page 207

206 Inspecting and replenishing
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 temper-
atures.
A discharged battery may already freeze at temperatures just below 0°C.
We therefore recommend that you have the battery checked by a Škoda Service
Partner before the start of the winter and recharged if necessary.
WARNING
Never charge a frozen or thawed battery - risk of explosion and caustic burns.
Replace a frozen battery.
Charging the battery
A properly charged battery is essential for reliably starting the engine.
– Read the warning notes 
– Switch the ignition and all electrical components off.
– Only for "quick-charging": Disconnect both battery cables (first of all "negative",
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 cable
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 also refer
to the instructions from the charger manufacturer.
in "Working on the battery" on page 203 and 
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 
page 203. It requires a special charger and appropriate knowledge. We therefore
recommend that you have your battery quick-charged only by your Škoda Service
Partner.
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.
WARNING

Never charge a frozen or thawed battery - risk of explosion and caustic
.
burns. Replace a frozen battery.

Never charge a battery which has a too low electrolyte level - risk of explo-
sion and caustic burns.
Disconnecting and reconnecting the battery
On disconnecting and reconnecting the battery the following functions are initially
deactivated or are no longer able to operate fault-free.
Operation
Electrical power window (operational faults)
Enter radio code number
Set hours
Data in the multi-functional indicator* are
deleted.
in "Working on the battery" on
. We
Operating measure
 page 48
see Radio Operating Instructions
 page 18
 page 19