Skoda Fabia Owner's Manual page 166

Warning symbols on the vehicle battery
Symbol

Always wear eye protection.
Battery acid is severely caustic. Always wear gloves and eye protec-

tion.
Keep fire, sparks, open flames and lit cigarettes well clear of the ve-

hicle battery.
When charging the vehicle battery, a highly explosive gas mixture is

produced.

Keep children away from the vehicle battery.
Improper handling of the battery can lead to damage occurring. We recommend
having all work on the vehicle battery be undertaken by a specialist garage.
WARNING
There is a risk of injuries, poisoning, chemical burns, explosions or fire when
carrying out any work on the battery and on the electrical system. It is essen-
tial to comply with the warning instructions given below and with the gener-
ally applicable rules of safety.
Keep children away from the vehicle battery.
■
Do not tilt the battery otherwise battery electrolyte may flow out of the bat-
■
tery vent openings. Protect your eyes by wearing safety glasses or a face
shield – there is a risk of being blinded.
Always wear protective gloves, eye and skin protection when handling the
■
vehicle battery.
The battery acid is strongly corrosive and must, therefore, be handled with
■
the greatest of care.
Corrosive fumes in the air irritate the air passages and lead to conjunctivitis
■
and inflammation of the air passages in the lungs.
Battery acid corrodes dental enamel and creates deep wounds on contact
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with the skin which take a long time to heal. Repeated contact with diluted
acids causes skin diseases (inflammations, ulcers, slin cracks).
164
General Maintenance
Importance
WARNING (Continued)
If any battery electrolyte comes into contact with your eyes, rinse the eyes
■
immediately with clear water for several minutes - consult a doctor immedi-
ately.
Splashes of acid on your skin or clothes should be neutralised as soon as
■
possible using soap suds and then rinsed with plenty of water. Seek immedi-
ate medical assistance if you swallow battery acid.
WARNING
It is prohibited to work with a naked flame and light.
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Smoking or any activities which produce sparks are prohibited.
■
Never use a damaged vehicle battery – there is a risk of explosion.
■
Never charge a frozen or thawed vehicle battery – there is a risk of explo-
■
sion and caustic burns.
Replace a frozen vehicle battery.
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Never jump-start vehicle batteries with an electrolyte level that is too low –
■
risk of explosion and caustic burns.
WARNING
When you charge a battery, hydrogen is released, and a highly explosive gas
■
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 the poles on the battery (e.g. with a metal object, cable) creates a
■
short circuit - there is a risk of melting the lead terminals, explosion, the bat-
tery burning, of acid being ejected.
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,
■
the ignition and all the electrical components and disconnect the negative
terminal ( ) on the battery.
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