Skoda Rapid Owner's Manual page 136

WARNING (Continued)
Splashes of acid on your skin or clothes should be neutralised as soon as
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possible using soap suds and then rinsed with plenty of water. If acid was
swallowed, seek immediate medical attention.
Keep children away from the vehicle battery.
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When you charge a battery, hydrogen is released, and a highly explosive gas
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mixture is also produced. An explosion can be caused through sparkling over
during unclamping or loosening of the cable plug while the ignition is on.
Bridging of the poles will create a short circuit (e.g. through metal objects,
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cables). Possible consequences of a short circuit: Melting of lead struts, explo-
sion and burning of the battery, jets of acid spurting out.
It is prohibited to work with a naked flame and light, to smoke or to carry
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out any activities which produce sparks. Avoid creating sparks when working
with cables and electrical devices. Strong sparking represents a risk of injury.
Before carrying out any work on the electrical system, switch off the engine,
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the ignition and all of the electrical components and disconnect the negative
terminal (-) on the battery. If you wish to replace a bulb it suffices to switch off
the relevant light.
Never charge a frozen or thawed vehicle battery – risk of explosion and
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caustic burns! Replace a frozen vehicle battery.
Never jump-start vehicle batteries with an electrolyte level that is too low –
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risk of explosion and caustic burns.
Never use a damaged vehicle battery – risk of explosion! Replace a damaged
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vehicle battery immediately.
CAUTION
The vehicle battery must only be disconnected if the ignition is switched off,
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otherwise the vehicle's electrical system (electronic components) can be dam-
aged. When disconnecting the battery from the electrical system, first of all dis-
connect the negative terminal (-) of the battery. Then disconnect the positive ter-
minal (+).
When connecting the battery to the electrical system, first connect the positive
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terminal (+) of the battery. Then connect the negative terminal (-). Under no cir-
cumstances must the battery cables be connected incorrectly – risk of a cable fire.
Ensure that battery acid does not come into contact with the bodywork – risk of
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damage to the paintwork.
Do not place the battery in direct daylight in order to protect the vehicle battery
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housing from the effects of ultra-violet light.
134
General Maintenance
If the vehicle has not been driven for more than 3 to 4 weeks, the battery will
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discharge. This is because certain electrical components consume electricity (e. g.
control units) also in idle state. Prevent the battery from discharging by discon-
necting the battery's negative terminal or continuously charging the battery with
a very low charging current.
If the vehicle is frequently used for making short trips, the vehicle battery will
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not have time to charge up sufficiently and may discharge.
For the sake of the environment
A vehicle battery that has been removed is a special type of hazardous waste.
These must be disposed of in accordance with national legal regulations.
Note
You should replace batteries older than 5 years.
Battery cover
ä
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 133.
The battery is located in the engine compartment below a plastic box.
›
Push the lid in the direction of the arrow
›
The installation of the battery cover on the positive terminal side takes place in
the reverse order.
Fig. 103
Vehicle battery: Open up the
cover
» Fig. 103.
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