warning lights AUDI Q5 2013 Owner's Guide

Homelink®
Universal remote
control
Description
Applies to vehicles: with Home link
The HomeLink universal remote control con
be programmed with the remo te control for
devices that ore already present.
With Home Link, you can control devices such
as the garage door, secu rity systems, ho use
lights , etc. comfortably from the inside of you
veh icle .
H omelink makes it poss ible for you to rep lace
t hree different remote controls from dev ices
in your home with one un ive rsal remo te. Th is
featu re works for most garage door and exte­
rior door motor signals. Programming the in­
d ividual remote control for your remote con ­
trol takes p lace near the center of the radiator
grille. There is a control module attached at
this location .
A one-t ime programm ing of the sensor must
be performed before you are able to use sys­
tems with Homelink. If the system does not activate after performing the one-t ime pro­
gramming, check whether the system uses a rolling code ¢
page 138 for vehicles without
the MMI*.
& WARNING
-
- Never use the Homelink ® transmi tter
with any garage door opener that does have not the sa fety stop and reverse fea ­
ture as requ ired by federa l safety stand­
ards. Th is includes any garage door open­
er mode l manufactured before April 1,
1982.
- A garage door opener which cannot de­
tect an object, signaling the door to stop
and reverse does not meet current feder­
al safety standards . Us ing
a garage door
opener without these features increases
r isk of serious inj ury or death.
Homelink ® 135
-For safety reasons never re lease the
parking brake or start the eng ine while
anyone is standing in front of the vehicle .
- A garage door or an estate gate may
sometimes be set in motion when the
Homelink ® remote control is being pro­
grammed. If the device is repeatedly ac­
tivated, th is can overstrain motor and
damage its e lectrical compon ents -an
overheated mo to r i s
a fire hazard!
- To avo id possib le injuries or property
damage, please always make abso lutely
certa in that no person s or objects are lo­
cated in the range of motion of any
equ ipment being operated .
(0 Tips
-If you would like more information on
Homelink ®, where to purchase the
Home link ® compatib le products, or
would like to purchase the Homelink ®
Home Lighting Package, please ca ll toll­
free: l-800-355-3515.
- For Declaration of Compliance to United
States FCC and Industry Canada reg ula­
tions
¢ page 298.
- For security reasons, we recommend that
you clear the programmed b uttons be­
fore selling the veh icle.
Operation
App lies to vehicles : with Homeli nk
Fig . 14 9 Head li ner: controls
Req uirement : The buttons must be program-
med
<:!)page 136 or ¢page 137. ..,_

Driving Safely
General notes
Safe driving habits
Please remember -safety first!
This chapter contains important information,
tips, instructions and warnings that you need
to read and observe for your own safety, the
safety of your passengers and others . We have
summarized here what you need to know
about safety belts, airbags, child restraints as
well as child safety. Your safety is for us
priori­
ty number 1.
Always observe the information
and warnings in this section - for your own
safety as well as that of your passengers.
The information in this section applies to all
model versions of your vehicle . Some of the
features described in this sections may be
standard equipment on some models, or may
be optional equipment on others. If you are
not sure, ask your authorized Audi dealer.
A WARNING
- Always make sure that you follow the in­
structions and heed the WARNINGS in
this Manual. It is in your interest and in
the interest of your passengers.
- Always keep the complete Owner's Liter­
ature in your Audi when you lend or sell
your vehicle so that this important infor­
mation will always be available to the
driver and passengers.
- Always keep the Owner's literature handy
so that you can find it easily if you have
questions.
Safety equipment
The safety features are part of the occupant
restraint system and work together to help
reduce the risk of injury in a wide variety of
accident situations .
Your safety and the safety of your passengers
should not be left to chance. Advances in
technology have made a variety of features
available to help reduce the risk of injury in an
Driving Safely 139
accident. The following is a list of just a few of
the safety features in your Audi :
- sophisticated safety belts for driver and all
passenger seating positions,
- belt force limiters for the front seats,
- belt pretensioners for the seats,
- belt height adjustment for the front seats,
- head restraints for each seating position,
- front airbags,
- side airbags in the front seats and outer rear
seats*,
- side curtain airbags,
- special LATCH anchorages for child re-
straints,
- adjustable steering column.
These individual safety features, can work to­ gether as a system to help protect you and
your passengers in a wide range of accidents.
These features cannot work as a system if
they are not always correctly adjusted and cor­
rectly used.
Safety is everybody's responsibility!
Important things to do before driving
Safety is everybody 's job! Vehicle and occu­
pant safety always depends on the informed
and careful driver.
For your safety and the safety of your passen ­
gers,
before driving always:
.,. Make sure that all lights and signals are op­
erating correctly .
.,. Make sure that the tire pressure is correct .
.,. Make sure that all windows are clean and
afford good visibility to the outside .
.,. Secure all luggage and other items carefully
qpage 76.
.,. Make sure that nothing can interfere with
the pedals.
.,. Adjust front seat, head restraint and mir­
rors correctly for your height.
.,. Instruct passengers to adjust the head re­
straints according to their height .
.,. Make sure to use the right child restraint
correctly to protect children ¢
page 178,
and~~~-~
•
•

Fa u lts in th e brake sy stem
If you should notice a sudden increase in
brake peda l travel, then one of the two brake
circuits may have failed~.&. .
Low brak e flu id level
Malfunct ions can occur in the brake system if
the brake fl uid leve l is too low . T he b rake fluid
l eve l is monito red electronically .
Brake booster
The brake booster increases the pressure that
you generate w ith the brake pedal.
It only op­
e rates while the eng ine is running or with the
i gnit ion sw itched on (hybr id dr ive*) ~.&, .
Brake lining wear statu s
Brake lining wear may be checked by visual in ­
spection of the condition of the brake pads
through the openings in the whee l. If neces­
sa ry, the wheel may be removed for this in­
spection
~ page 2 74, Changing a wheel.
.&_ WARNING
=
- You should perform braking maneuvers
for the purpose of clean ing the brake
system on ly if road conditions permit.
Other road users must not be put at risk -
you may cause an acc ident!
- Before descending a steep grade, reduce
speed and shift transmiss ion into a lower
gear or lower driving range . Do not ride
the brakes or hold the pedal down too long or too often . This could cause the
brakes to get hot and dimin ish b raking
efficiency .
- Do not "ride the brakes" by resting your
foot on the pedal when you do not intend
to brake . Th is may cause the b rakes to
overheat, premat ure wear and increased
stopping distance .
- Under certain climat ic and operating
condit ions such as passing through wa­
ter , driving in heavy rain or after wash ing
the vehicle, the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced. In winter, ice can
accumulate on the brake pads, linings,
discs and drums . Carefully apply brakes
Int ellig ent technolog y 201
for a test. Brakes will dry and ice coat­
ings w ill be cleaned off after a few care­
ful brake applicat ions.
- Driving for an extended period of time on
salt-covered roads without using your
brakes can also affect braking efficiency.
Clean off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few careful
brake applications.
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you install a different spoiler, be sure the air
f low to the front brakes is not obst ruct­
ed. Otherw ise the brake system could
overhea t reducing the effectiveness of
the entire brake system .
- Failure of one brake circuit will impair
the braking capability resulting in an in­
creased stopping distance . Avoid driving
the vehicle and have it towed to the near­
est a uthori zed Audi dea ler or qualified
workshop.
- Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with
the engine shut off .
- If the brake booster is not working, for
examp le when towing your vehicle, or
because the brake booster has somehow
been damaged, the brake pedal must be
pressed considerably harder to make up
for the lack of booster assistance .
Electromechanical
power assist, Dynamic
steering
The electromechanical power assist helps the
driver when s teering.
Power ste ering adapts electronically based on
the vehicle speed.
Indicator lights an d m ess age s
• Steeri ng defe ctive ! D o n ot dr ive vehi cle!
If this indicator light turns on and stays on
and this message appears, the power steer ing
may have failed .
Stop the vehicle in a safe location as soon as poss ible . Do
no t continue driving . See your ..,.
•
•

Operate your vehicle
economically and minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will determine
the economy of your vehicle, as well as ex­
haust and noise levels .
Fue l economy, environmental impact, and
wear on your engine, brakes and tires largely
depend on three factors:
- your persona l driving style
- opera ting conditions
- technical limitations
If you anticipate what you need to do next and
drive economically, you can easily cut your
fuel consumption by 10-15 percent . This sec­
tion will give you some t ips on how you can
he lp the environment and your pocketbook.
(D Tips
The consumpt io n estimates as published
by ENVIRONMEN TAL PROTECTION AGENCY
(EPA) and Transport Ca nada may not corre­
spond to your act ual consumption on the
road, wh ich will vary depending upon vehi­
cle load and speed, road and weather con­
ditions, trip length, etc .
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout
ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac­
celerating.
" Avoid unnecessary acce lerating and braking .
Vehicles use the most fue l when they are ac ­
celerating . If you anticipate what is go ing to
h appen next, you will need to brake less and,
thus, accelerate less. Let the vehicle coast
whenever poss ible -for example when you see
that the next traffic light is red.
Dri vin g and en vironm ent 207
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and
improves your mileage .
" Try and keep well below your car 's maxi-
mum speed .
Acce lerat ing gently reduces fue l consump­
tion, eng ine wear, and does not disturb the
environment.
Fuel consumption, exhaust emissions and en­
gine noise increase disproportionately at h igh
speeds. If you drive at approximately three
quarters of top speed, fuel consumption w ill
be reduced by one half. Never drive faster
than the posted speed l imit and weather con­
ditions perm it.
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up
fuel .
" Shut the eng ine off when you are not driv­
ing the vehicle .
" Do not warm up the ve hicle by letting the
eng ine run at id le.
The idling phase is automatically reduced for
vehicles with the Start -Stop-System* . It is ef ­
ficient to switch off the engine in vehicles
without the Sta rt-Stop-System * when stopped
at rai lroad cross ings and long red lig hts . T urn­
ing the engine off for jus t 30-40 seconds
saves more fuel than is b urned by s tarting the
engine again.
It takes a long t ime for the engine to warm up
f ully when i t is runn ing a t id le. However, wea r
and noxious emissions are especia lly high
when the engi ne is warming up. So you shou ld
drive away as soon as you start the engine and
avo id running at high rpms while the engine is
still warming up.
(D Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended af­
ter start ing . If warning lights sho uld come
on to indicate improper operation, they ..,.
•
•

Driving off road
Driving in difficult road
conditions and offroad
General information
The operation of the E lectronic Stabilization
Control (ESC) is expanded fo r operation away
from paved roads. In situations where slip or a
differential lock ing funct ion is required, the
ESC offroad mode can be act ivated
c> page 197 . Your Audi also has permanent
all-wheel drive in addition .
However, your Aud i is not a pure offroad ve hi­
cle . It was not built for driving under extreme
conditions, e .g . for trips that are in the nature
of an expedition .
D riv e only on roads and offro ad sections
which match the des ign of your vehicle and
your abil it ie s as a driver . Ne ver take ri sks!
Before dri ving offroad
- Check the engine oi l level, tire pressure,
coolant leve l, and the fluid level in the w ind­
shield washer reservo ir.
- Stow luggage items and other objects in the
lu ggage compartment, and secure them
against slid ing around .
After driv ing offroad
- After trips offroad, remove any twigs and other foreign objects from the grill, the un­
derbody and the wheels. Pay specia l atten­
t ion to fore ign objects (stones) which have
become lodged in the tire tread.
- Clean the body and the vehicle unders ide,
and inspect the veh icle for possible damage.
- Clean dirty windows, headlamp lenses, rear
lights, and license plates.
- Perform a brake check (particu larly after
trave lling through water) .
A WARNING
- Drive especially attentive ly and plan
ahead in difficult road conditions and
w hen offroad . Excess ive speed or incor-
-
Driving off road 209
rect maneuvers can cause injuries and
damage to the vehicle.
- Always adapt your speed and driving
style to road, offroad, traff ic, and weath­
er conditions. Drive especially slowly off­
road when your v iew is restricted.
- Please be aware that in ESC offroad
mode, particularly on a smooth and slip­
pery road, the wheels may have an in­
creased tendency to spin and the vehicle
may break away - danger of skidding!
- Stability is limited in the ESC offroad mode.
@) For the sake of the environment
Avoid damage to the environment and re­
spect nature .
(D Tips
Only drive where it is permitted and stay
on marked roads and paths.
Explanation of some technical terms
The following data refer to ideal cond itions .
Depend ing on veh icle load and ground condi ­
tions and the environment, the numbers may
vary. It is the d rive r's responsibi lity to decide
whethe r a veh icle can overcome a specific s it ­
u at ion
c::> .&. .
Gradient angle
The number of meters in alt itude ga ined over
a d istance of 109 .4 yards or 100 meters
(grade) a re given as a pe rcentage o r degrees .
Info rmation abou t the gr ad ient the veh icle
can climb under i ts own power (depends in
part on the road surface and engine power).
Max imum permitted grade : 3 1
°
Late ral angle (slope of vehicle )
Ind icates the angle up to which the vehicle
can be d riven diagona lly or across the fall line
on a slope wi tho ut the vehicle tipping over
sideways (depends o n center of gravity) . Maxi-
mum permitted lateral angle: 25 ° .,.
•
•

212 Trailertowing
Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passen­
ger transportation .
If you plan to tow a trai ler, p lease remember
that the additional load will affect durability,
economy and performance .
Trailer towing not on ly places more stress on
the vehicle, it also calls for more concentra­
tion from the driver.
For this reason, always fo llow the operating
and driving instructions provided and use
common sense.
Technical requirements
T ra ile r hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suita­
ble for your vehicle and trailer and mu st be
mounted securely on the veh icle's chassis at a
technically sound location. Use only a trailer
h itch with a removable ball mount. A lways
check with the trai ler h itch manufact urer to
make sure that you are using the correct
hitch.
Do n ot use a bumper hi tch.
The hitch must be installed in such a way that
it does not interfere with the impact-absorb­
ing bumper system . No modifications should
be made to the vehicle exhaust and brake sys­
tems . From t ime to time, check that all hitch
mounting bo lts remain securely fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer, remove the
trailer h itch ball mount. This prevents the
h itch from causing damage should your veh i­
cle be struck from behind
¢ A .
Traile r brak es
If your tra iler is equipped w ith a braking sys­
tem, check to be sure that it conforms to a ll
regulat ions . The trailer hydraulic brake system must not be
direct ly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system
~ A .
Saf ety ch ain s
Always use safety chains between your veh icle
and the trai le r.
Trail er light s
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Be
sure to check w ith your authorized Audi dealer
for correct wiring, sw itches, and relays.
Mirror s
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you
using the regular outside mirrors, then you
must install extended mirrors .
It is important
that you always have clea r vis io n to the rear.
,8. WARNING
- I f a trai ler has electrical brakes p lease
note that these brakes are not activated
by the factory -fitted control unit -risk of
accident!
- Afte r removing the trailer hitch, do not
store it in your vehicle. In case of sudden
braking, the hitch could fly forward and
injure you or your passengers.
- Never install a "weight distributing" or
"load equalizing" trailer hitch on your ve­
h icle. The vehicle was not designed for
these kinds of trailer h itches. The h itch
attachment can fail, caus ing the trailer
to tear loose from the veh icle.
- The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating for your
veh icle, found on the safety compliance
label on the driver's s ide B-pillar, must
never be exceeded under any c ircumstan­
ces. Exceeding the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating of yo ur vehicle is likely to damage
your vehicle, and such damage will not
be covered by yo ur Limited New Ve hicle
Warranty . Exceeding the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating will a lso change the per­
formance and handling characteristics of
your veh icle, wh ich could cause a crash
resulting in serious injury or death.
-

218 Clea ning and protec tio n
- Never use sp onges designed to remove
insects, or a ny kitchen scouring sponges
or similar products . They can dama ge
you r paint f inish.
- Never use a dry cloth or s ponge to clean
the headligh ts. On ly use wet clot hs or
sponges to prevent scratches.
It i s best
to use soapy water.
- You should rem ove debris (suc h as in ­
sects) from the headlight lenses on a
regular basis, fo r example when refuel­
i ng your vehicle. Never clean the head­
li ghts w ith a dry cloth or sponge. Use a
wet cloth or sponge.
It is best to use
soapy water.
@ For the sake of the environment
On ly wash the vehicle in facilit ies specially
designed for that pu rpose. This w ill reduce
t he risk of d irty water contami nated with
oil from en tering the sewer system. In
some areas, washing vehicles outside of
these facilities is prohibited .
Washing your vehicle with a power
washer
Cleaning the exterior of your car with a high­
pressure power washer is safe as long as you
observe a few simple rules.
.. Before us ing the power washe r, make sure
you have read and understood the WARN­
INGS¢
A in General information on
page 216 .
• Always follow the operating instructions for
the power washer .
• Make sure that the jet o n the spray hose
produces a "fan shaped sp ray ".
• Do
not ho ld the spray nozzle too close t o
soft materia ls.
Keep a d istance from soft mate rials such as
rubber hoses or insulat ing mater ial as well as
sensors and camera lenses .
When clea ning the veh icle w it h a power wash­
e r
always fo llow the operating instructions.
This applies particul arly to the operating pres­
sure and the spraying distance. Do not po int the spray di
rectly at the seals around the side
windows, around the doors, on the rear lid or
on the Panoram ic sliding sunroof* . Likewise,
do not po int it direct ly at tires, rubber hoses,
insulat ion material or sensors
¢ page 219.
Hold the spray nozz le at least 1.3 ft (0.4 m)
away from the vehicle.
Do not use a high-pressure power washer to
remove snow and ice .
Do not use a jet which sprays water in a direct
stream or one that has a rotating jet .
Water tempera ture sho uld no t exceed 140 ° F
(60 °().
_& WARNING
Neve r wash tires with a jet t hat sprays wa­
ter in a direct stream . Th is could cause in­
v is ible damage to the t ires and weaken
them, even if the spray is from a relative ly
l ong distance and for a short time. Dam­
aged and weakened tires can fail and cause
accidents and personal in ju ry .
(D Note
To avoid damaging you r vehicle, always
make sure that there is suffic ient d istance
between the spray head and soft materia ls
l ike rubber hoses, plast ic pa rts and sound­
deade ning mater ia ls as well as sensors
and camera lenses. Never a im the sp ray
head at the same point fo r a long time .
This also applies to cleaning headlights
and painted bumpers. Remembe r: the
closer the nozzle is to the surface of the
mater ia l, the greater the stress on the ma­
terial.

Caring for vehicles with matte finish
paint
Appl ies to vehicles: with matte finish pa in t
Vehicles with matte finish paint require spe­
cial care due to the characteristics of the
paint.
Washing b y hand
To avo id damag ing the pa int when wash ing,
first remove dust and large particles from
your veh icle. Insects, g rease spots and finge r­
p rints a re best removed with a
s pecial cleaner
for matt e fini sh paint .
Apply the product using a microfiber cloth . To
avoid damaging the paint su rface, do not use
too muc h press ure.
R inse the vehicle thoroughly w ith water . Clean
the vehicle starting at the top and working to­
ward the bottom using a
neu tral shampoo
and a soft mi cro fiber cloth . Stop freque ntly to
rinse the clot h thorough ly.
Clean the wheels and sill panels last . Use a
clea n
sp o nge on these areas.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly aga in and let it
air dry. If there are any water spots, they can
be removed us ing a
l e ath er cloth .
Clean again with the special cleaner for matte
finish paint
i f necessary.
Rem oving stubb orn dirt
B ird d ropping s or tree sap
are best removed
with p lenty of water and a m icrof iber cloth.
You sho uld r inse off
ga soline r esidue immedi­
ately with plenty of water.
A WARNING
- Wash your vehicle only when the ignition
is switched off to reduce the risk of a
crash.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
¢ page 216.
(D Note
-Do no t treat vehicle parts painted w ith
matte finish paint using polish ing mate -
Cleaning and protec tion 219
ria ls or hard wax. These p rod ucts could
cause damage to the appearance or sur­
face that cannot be repaired .
- Never use protective wax. It can destroy
the matte finish effect.
- Do not place any s tickers or magnetic
signs on vehicle pa rts painted with
matte finish paint. The paint could be
damaged when the stickers or magnets
are removed.
- To prevent paint damage, do not wash
the vehicle i n direct sunlight .
- To prevent damage to the paint surface,
do not use insect remova l sponges,
rough kitchen sponges or sim ilar items.
- Yo u should
remove debris (such as in­
sects) from t he headlight lenses on a
regu lar bas is, for example when refuel­
ing your veh icle. Only clea n the head­
lights us ing a wet cloth or sponge,
neve r
a dry one. Cleaning with soapy wate r is
recommended.
(D Tips
Fo r more informat ion on special clean ing
products desig ned fo r matte f inish paint,
see your Aud i dea le r.
Sensors and camera lenses
- Remove snow w ith a hand br ush an d remove
ice with a de -icing spray that does not con­
tain so lvents.
- Clean the senso rs (adap tive c ruise control *,
parking system *) with a cleaning so lution
that does not contain so lvents and a soft
cloth.
- Dampen the camera lens with a household
alcoho l-based g lass cleaner, and then wipe
the lens clean w ith a dry cloth.
Q) Note
- If you wash your vehicle with a press ure
washer,
- make sure there is eno ugh distance to
sensors in th e re ar bumper.
•
•

244 Checking and filling
Vehicles not driven for long periods
If you do not drive you r vehicle over a pe riod
of severa l days or weeks, electrical compo­
nents are gradually cut back or switched off.
This reduces energy consumption and main­
tains starting capability over a longer period
¢page 203.
Take into consideration that when yo u un lock
your vehicle, some convenience functions, such as the interior lights or the power seat
adjustment, may not be available. The con­
venience funct ions w ill be available again
when you turn on the ignition and start the
engine .
Winter operation
During the winter months, battery capacity
tends to decrease as temperatures drop . This
is because more power is also consumed while
start ing, and the headl ights, rear window de­
fogger, etc., are used more often .
Avoid unnecessary power consumption, par­
ticularly in city traffic or when traveling only
short distances . Let your authorized Audi
dealer check the capacity of the vehicle bat­
tery before winter sets in¢
page 245. A well
cha rged battery w ill not only prevent starting
prob lems when the weather is cold , but will
a lso last longer .
Working on the battery
Be especially careful when working on or near
the battery.
The battery is located in the luggage compart­
ment under the floor. Before you check any­
thing in the luggage compartment,
read and
heed all WARNINGS
¢ _&..
Hybr id drive*: you can find impo rtant informa­
tion about the high voltage battery under
¢page 97 .
Always heed the safety warnings , when work­
ing on the vehicle battery or the vehicle elec ­
trical system to prevent injury.
The following WARNINGS are very
important when working on the battery:
Always heed the following WARNING SYM­ BOLS and safety precaution s when working
on the battery.
@) Always wear eye protection .
I>. Battery acid contains sulfuric acid_-Al­
~ ways wear gloves and eye protection.
~ No
\!=51 -sparks
-flames
-smoking.
A When a battery is charged, it produces
~ hydrogen gas which is explosive and
could cause personal injury.
/G Always keep the battery well out of
V!!JI reach of children.
A WARNING "--
Whenever working on the battery or on
the electrical system, there is the risk of
in jury, accident and even fi re. Read and
heed the following WARNINGS :
- Always wear eye protection. Do not let
battery ac id or any lead particles get on
your skin or clothing. Shield your eyes .
Exp losive gases can cause blindness or
other injury .
- Ba ttery acid contains sulfuric acid. Sulfu­
ric acid can ca use blindness and severe
burns .
- Always wear gloves and eye protection .
Do not tilt the battery because acid
could leak out of the ventilat ion open­
i ngs.
- If you get battery ac id in your eyes or
on your skin, immediately rinse with
cold water fo r several minutes and get
med ical attention .
-If you should ingest any battery acid,
seek medical attention immediately.
- Do not expose the battery to an open
flame, electr ic sparks or an open light.
- Do not smoke.
-
1
I

-Do not interchange the positive and neg­
ative cables .
- When working on the battery , be sure
not to short-circuit the terminals with
tools or other metal objects. This would cause the battery to heat up very quickly,
which could lead to damage or explosion
and personal injury.
- When a battery is charged, it produces
hydrogen gas which is explosive and
could cause personal injury .
- Always keep the battery well out of the
reach of children .
- Before work is done on the electrical sys­
tem, disconnect the negative ground ca ­
ble .
- Before performing any work on the elec ­
trical system , switch off the engine and
ignition as well as any electrical equip­
ment. The negative cable on the battery
must be disconnected. If you are just go­
ing to replace a light bulb, then it is
enough to switch off the lights.
- Before disconnecting the battery , switch
off the anti-theft alarm system! Other­
wise you will set off the alarm.
- When disconnecting the battery, first
disconnect the negative cable and then
the positive cable.
- Before reconnecting the battery, make
sure all electrical consumers are switch­
ed off. Reconnect the positive cable first
and then the negative cable. Never inter­
change the cables - this could start a fire!
- Never charge a fro zen or a thawed-out
battery. It could explode! If a battery has
frozen, then it must be replaced. A dis­
charged battery can freeze over at 32°F
(OOC) .
-Make sure the vent hose is always attach­
ed to the opening on the side of the bat ­
tery.
- Never use batteries which are damaged.
There is the danger of an explosion! Al­
ways replace a damaged battery.
Checking and filling 245
A WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Battery posts, terminals and related ac­ cessories contain lead and lead com­
pounds, chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and reproduc ­
tive problems . Wash hands after han­
dling.
Q) Note
- Do not disconnect the vehicle battery
when the ignition is switched on or when
the engine is running, otherwise , you will
damage electronic components in the
electrical system.
- If your vehicle is going to stand for a
long period of time without being driven,
protect the battery from "freezing", oth­
erwise it will be damaged and will then
have to be replaced.
Battery charging
Starting the engine requires a well charged
battery.
Fig. 201 Engin e compart ment: Co nn ectors for charger
and j umper cab les
Always read and heed all WARNINGS below
¢ .&. and ¢,&. in Working on the battery on
page 244.
~ Hybrid drive*: read the important informa­
tion concerning a dead high voltage battery
under
¢ page 105.
~ Turn off the ignition and all electrical con­
sumers.
~ Make sur e the area is well ventilated when
you charge the battery . ..,.