61 00 ... Battery

NOTE: Important notes and instructions for handling batteries in the dealership can be found in:

Battery master document
Disconnecting battery, refer to 12 00 ... Instructions for disconnecting and connecting battery
Battery charging, refer to 61 00 ... Battery charging
Welding work, refer to 12 00 ... INSTRUCTIONS FOR WELDING WORK (OVERLOAD PROTECTION OF CONTROL UNITS
External jump-starting aid, refer to 12 00 ... INSTRUCTIONS ON STARTING AID

Battery care and maintenance

In low-maintenance batteries, check the acid level at least once a year. If necessary, top up with distilled water up to the top marking.

The increasing number of electronic control units in the car reduces the self-discharging time of the battery (even in standby mode). To maintain the battery service life and to avoid exhaustive discharging, recharge laid-up vehicles every 6 weeks at the latest. The time for self-discharging depends on vehicle type and equipment specification.

Battery test

The battery acid density can be used to measure the charge state. However this test produces uncertainty caused by a design-related range of variation. The acid density e.g. for a charged battery is 1.28 kg/l (in the tropical version the acid density is 1.23 kg/l).

Another interference factor is the acid lamination immediately after filling with distilled water.

Battery wear with partially sulfated and/or heavily contaminated plates will also lead to incorrect acid density test results.