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EMEA Dealership Compound

INTRODUCTION 

This Service News provides the main instructions to be followed for parking, storage and maintenance of new vehicles in compounds in order to prevent any damage due to improper vehicle storage/moving.

The instructions include:

  1. General standards for compound arrangement
  2. Management regulations concerning vehicles stocked in compounds
  3. Vehicle maintenance operations whilst in the compounds

1. GENERAL STANDARDS FOR COMPOUND ARRANGEMENT 

In order to keep the vehicles with the maximum care and diligence while they are being stocked, the stock and vehicle transit area must have certain basic features. Moreover, personnel working in the compound and anyone else with access to the compound area containing the vehicles must wear specific clothing. For the above, in addition to complying with the safety requirements of the law and local regulations, follow the specific requirements listed in the "General Standards" annex:

1.1 COMPOUND STRUCTURAL SPECIFICATIONS 

To be certain that the best possible conditions exist for vehicles in storage, the vehicle storage and transit areas must meet the following basic specifications:

1.2 CLOTHING OF PERSONNEL IN THE COMPOUND 

Regardless and without prejudice to the safety requirements established by the law, for the purposes of this procedure it is understood that the personnel working on the compound (except administrative office personnel) must wear, regularly and throughout the year, high visibility work clothes (trousers and jacket).

In any case, anyone who has access to the compound area where the vehicles are located (drivers, administrative staff, external workers, and others), in order to avoid damage to vehicles, must:

For the above, a sufficient availability of high visibility and anti-scratch jackets must be guaranteed, so that they can be worn by those entering in the compound (external companies, persons in charge of the compound supervision and inspections, and others).

1.3 COMPOUND EQUIPMENT AND STRUCTURES 

Compounds must comply with the following requirements:

  1. Loading/unloading lanes on the compound surface must be clearly marked, with suitable numbering displayed on vertical and/or horizontal signs (white or yellow lines).
  2. Car spaces must:
    • Be marked out with vertical and/or horizontal lines (white or yellow lines).
    • Have a width not less than 2.50 meters.
    • Have alphanumeric numbering on vertical and/or horizontal signs (white or yellow lines), so that the vehicle can be immediately traced.
  3. For vehicle protection and safety purposes, it is preferable to install hail nets in the area where the vehicles are stored.
  4. The compounds must be provided with a sheltered building to house administration/operational offices.
  5. A fuel refueling/refilling area must be set up inside the compound in compliance with current legislation and product protection: the area will store approved tanks which allow the different fuels available to be immediately recognized (e.g. different colors between diesel and petrol). Protective gloves must be available near the refilling area in order to prevent contamination of the vehicle parts following refueling.
  6. For batteries recharging, the compounds must have:
    • A special ventilated room equipped with adequate fire protection systems, according to current legislation (for batteries with quick release, where the charging takes place on batteries extracted from the engine compartment of the vehicle).
    • A special area suitably protected from rain and/or other atmospheric agents (for batteries without quick release, where the charging takes place directly on batteries inside the vehicle engine compartment).
    • The presence of four (4) zones separated from each other (all the zones must be equipped with a special parking area with a tank covered by a grating to collect fluids in the event of spillage):
      • A collection area for the batteries to be recharged.
      • A battery recharge area.
      • A collection area for batteries already recharged.
      • A collection area for used batteries.
    • Each battery must be identified with an adhesive label where the chassis number and date in which they are removed from the vehicle are written; when the batteries are returned to the corresponding vehicles, the adhesive label can be removed.
    • All battery rooms and related parking zones must be marked with appropriate signs.
  7. A distance of at least 15 meters must always be guaranteed between the battery charging stations and the vehicle storage areas.
  8. The compound must contain a zone dedicated to washing vehicles and wax/film/preformed/full body cover removal. (the area must be equipped in compliance with the accident prevention regulations in force); the area must have pressure spray lances or a pressure washing system, with the brushes disabled (except for brushes with expandable bristles composed of a mixture of polyethylene and cloth, for example, the Carlite model).
  9. Washing and wax/film/preformed/full body cover removal must be carried out in an enclosed area or under a sheltered area, in order to provide sufficient shade for the vehicle.
  10. The compound must necessarily have a raised platform for washing and/or wax/film/preformed/full body cover removal of the roof of vehicles with height over 1.50 meters; the platform must have a rise of at least 40 cm from the support surface and must be provided with a railing, according to current legislation.
  11. The compound must contain a whole series of equipment for maintenance activities (the compound is fully responsible to make sure that the equipment in its possession operates appropriately and therefore that the maintenance is carried out without interruption; no stops or delays are allowed during the maintenance activities due to faults or failures in the equipment required):
    • Vacuum cleaner (minimum power 1800 W).
    • Water jet cleaners with maximum working pressure of 110 bar and with the possibility of regulating the water temperature through a thermostat.
      NOTE:

      The water jet cleaner is also necessary for compounds equipped with a washing system with brushes, as it is an immediate alternative solution in the event of malfunction or failure (it can also be used in the event of partial fouling of the bodywork, which can be removed without moving the vehicle).

    • Battery charger and instrument to test battery efficiency (for the instruments to be used, follow the indications provided by the relevant Service News).
    • Digital torque wrench.
    • Digital pressure gauge.
      NOTE:

      The torque wrench and pressure gauge must be accompanied by documentation certifying the annual calibration update at a S.I.T. center. (Calibration Service in Italy) center or another center accredited by the national accreditation body recognized by EA (European cooperation for Accreditation). This documentation must always be readily available for verification.

  12. If the compound is used for sending/receiving vehicles through railway transport, it must have fixed and/or mobile ramps with a slope not greater than 14%, i.e. 8°. Mobile ramps used for access to the wagons must be equipped with:
    • Perfectly operating regulation system (positioning adjacent to the flap of the first pulling wagon).
    • Straps and chains to block the ramp against the pull of wagons.

1.4 COMPOUND ANTI-INTRUSION SYSTEM 

The compound must be closed, illuminated and equipped with an anti-intrusion security system.

The following characteristics are required:

Access to the compounds must be allowed only to authorized persons.

Vehicles authorized to circulate on the compound must necessarily be provided with an orange/yellow flashing strobe light on the roof, therefore sufficient availability of portable flashlights must be guaranteed to be applied to any other vehicles authorized for circulation (external companies, persons in charge of the compound supervision and inspections, and others); only vehicles provided with this equipment will be authorized to circulate in the compound, with the exception of all those used to load the vehicles and those assigned to the 24H Security and Supervision service or Industrial Security service of the company that manages the compound.

The total absence of any obstacle on traffic lanes is recommended.

1.5 STORAGE AREA MAINTENANCE 

The compound areas must be cleaned and subject to regular maintenance so that its surface is clear of grass, moss, gravel, holes, nails, accumulation of anti-ice salt and all elements that might puncture tires and/or cause damage to painted parts.

Special maintenance is required on components subject to rust and on all equipment close to stored vehicles (ramps, slides, structure for hail nets, and others).

It is also required to perform maintenance of the steel cables and of the anti-hail nets metal structure (where present), because they must not show rust oxidation in the parts above the cars.

1.6 ACOUSTIC BOLLARDS AND RODENT CONTROL 

For the compounds particularly exposed to the presence and the passage of birds, prepare suitable acoustic instruments for bird deterrence.

If necessary activate rodent control cycles according to the regulations in force in the country.

Adequate documentation of verifications/investigations must be provided to confirm the activities carried out.

1.7 ANTI-HAIL SYSTEM MANAGEMENT 

NOTE:

Only for compounds in the Italian Market for which the presence of anti-hail nets has been contracted, the management described below is required.

The network must operate during the following period:

The compound must provide, before the initial date, to apply the nets on the supporting structure (steel cables and/or metal structure present), and to fix them along the entire perimeter of the aisles, connecting the appropriate plates to the edge cables and/or metal structure. The tension of the nets must be suitable to allow the hail rebound without the formation of pockets, allowing its removal and conveying in the discharge channels placed laterally to each aisle.

During the year, the Compound must make sure that the permanent laying of the sheets fixed to the system layers (hail drainage channels) and to the equipment structure sides (upwind veils), and restoring them if necessary.

2. MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS CONCERNING VEHICLES STOCKED IN COMPOUNDS 

The main instructions for moving vehicles within compounds are given below.

The following is strictly prohibited for all vehicles in compounds:

2.1 VEHICLE PARKING RULES 

Position vehicles in accordance with the safety regulations in force, and in a manner that allows them to be moved without any contact or damage.

The following main requirements must be fulfilled:

Vehicles must have the handbrake released and the shift lever:

The protections must be applied/restored as in "Annex 4.1 - PROTECTIONS"; If they are missing or damaged, it is possible to protect as follows

The compound must always be equipped with a supply of protections.

2.2 VEHICLE TRANSPORTATION RULES WHILST IN COMPOUNDS 

Vehicles must be moved in accordance with the safety regulations in force.

The following is also strictly prohibited:

If the vehicle has catalytic converters, this leads to higher temperatures in the exhaust systems; for this reason, they should not come into contact with potentially flammable materials such as dry leaves, paper or flammable oils.

3. VEHICLE MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS WHILST IN THE COMPOUNDS 

The following maintenance operations are required:

3.1 BATTERY MANAGEMENT 

All vehicles in stock must have their batteries disconnected from the electrical system. They must be disconnected and connected as described below.

BATTERY DISCONNECTION 

Disconnect the negative battery terminal within 3 days of the following activities:

AUXILIARY BATTERY 

Disconnect the negative terminal of the main battery and auxiliary battery (if provided) within 3 days of the following activities:

CAUTION:

If the vehicle is equipped with an auxiliary battery always disconnect it. If auxiliary battery is not properly disconnected it can result in a battery discharge or failure.

GC0186650Courtesy of CHRYSLER GROUP, LLC

BATTERY CONNECTION/CHECK 

When the stock period has ended, and the vehicle must be prepared for shipment or sale, reconnect the negative terminal before moving it, and check that the connector is fully inserted and that the safety catch, where provided, has latched properly.

In addition, carry out the following operations:

If the vehicle has been in stock for longer than 30 days, it is also necessary to check the battery charge state.

Depending on the outcome provided by the battery efficiency verification tool, the battery must be:

STEERING INITIALIZATION 

On some vehicles the steering wheel must be initialized after the battery has been disconnected. This will be indicated by the power steering failure warning light on the instrument panel.

To carry out this procedure, just start the engine, turn the steering wheel completely from one lock to the other and put it back into the center position.

If, after having carried out the steering wheel initialization cycle, the red warning lights on the instrument panel do not turn off, stop the engine, wait at least 5 seconds and repeat the initialization procedure.

If the red warning lights on the instrument panel remain on even after repeating the cycle, refer to the technical service manual.

3.2. VEHICLE WASHING 

It is necessary to wash stocked vehicles each time they undergo:

It is also necessary to wash waxed vehicles or those with preformed covers if the unprotected parts have been fouled (make sure that all openings such as doors, bonnets, lids, windows, and others have been closed before washing). Where the body is partially fouled, i.e. with well-defined and localized dirt spots, it is possible to wash directly a near the vehicle (without moving it) using a portable water jet cleaner, taking the greatest care and attention to avoid any kind of damage to the vehicle.

CAUTION:

Don't use Jet-Cleaner on cabriolet vehicles.

CAUTION:

Film-coated vehicles cannot be washed.

CAUTION:

Vehicles with opaque colors must be washed using a low-pressure water jet cleaner only (no brushes). The paint should never be rubbed with cloth as glossy local areas could arise.

NOTE:

It is strictly forbidden to ship the vehicles with any type of fouling (surface rust, dust, mud, bird guano). If there is fouling, it is necessary to perform the washing operation before the shipment.

3.3 PERIODIC VEHICLE MAINTENANCE 

Table 1 below gives the periodic maintenance operations required. The scheduled times for the maintenance operations specified in Table 1 start from the vehicle reception date (PIC).

TABLE 1 - PERIODIC MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS

Operations Frequency
Check/restore the state of charge state of 12V lead battery (not lithium battery) To be performed at the 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, 18th, 21st, 24th month (#)
Check/restore the state of charge state of low-voltage battery To be performed every 180 days (180, 360, 540, 720)
Replace low-voltage lithium battery To be performed every 900 days
Tire pressure check/restore To be performed at the 6th, 12th, 18th and 24th month
Wax removal (*) To be performed at the 6th month
Film / preforms removal (*) To be performed at the 6th month
Full body cover removal (**) To be performed at the 12th month
Move climate control cover panels Move climate control cover panels
Check/Change Oil, oil filter, air filter, belt, component drive belt (***) To be performed at the 12th month
Change Urea (****) To be performed at the 12th month

(*) Vehicles with Matte Paint :  For vehicles with matte paint or for 124 Abarth, and whenever there are severe weather conditions, the marked operations are carried out at the end of the 2nd month.

(**) Full Body Cover: 

(***) Periodic Maintenance:  Vehicles in stock have to follow periodical maintenance schedule.

(****) Urea:  In the event of severe weather conditions, this operation must be performed every 6 months.

(#) Battery:  The 12V lead batteries (not lithium) that have been checked and then recharged at the 24th month will not be subject to further maintenance except during vehicle consignment.

Always consider to protect water drainage below windscreen from dirty/sand/leaves 

The paragraphs below describe the operating methods for performing the periodic maintenance operations:

3.3.1 BATTERY CHARGE STATUS CHECK 

NOTE:

If the new Bosch instrument is used (p/n 2000037001 in alternative to Midtronics), it is not necessary to issue the receipt. A WiFi connection is sufficient to access and configure the instrument on the cloud, where the monitoring body can check the test carried out.

To avoid serious damage to the battery or possible explosion, the following precautions must be adopted:

3.3.2 CHECKING/RESTORING TIRE PRESSURES 

To check the tire pressure status:

Tires subject to checks and subsequent restoration after 18 months (see table 1) will no longer be subject to further maintenance operations (checking/restoring tire pressure) provided that the vehicle is not undergoing shipment or sale; for vehicles at this stage, visual inspection and inflation of the tires must be carried out where required.

Periodically check expiring tires data, if tires are expired you must replace them.

3.3.3 FILM /PREFORMS/FULL BODY COVER (ADHESIVE PART ON THE GLASS) REMOVAL 

To protect the vehicle paint work, an alternative to the waxing process is the application of self-adhesive plastic films, preformed covers or Full Body Covers to selected parts of the vehicle. Films must be removed in an enclosed area or under a sheltered area, in order to provide sufficient shade for the vehicle (the surface temperature of the vehicle must be from 15°C to 30°C - if required, wet with water so that the vehicle surface temperature is close to this temperature range).

  1. Peel up the outer edges of the film and remove it.
  2. Make sure that all openings (doors, bonnets, lids, windows, and others) are closed.
  3. Wash the vehicle to remove any deposits left on the bodywork while removing the film, using pressure washers or pressure washing systems with deactivated brushes or compliant/certified brushes.
  4. Inspect the protected surfaces and remove any adhesive residues with a soft cloth (any marks at the edges or in areas where the film was unevenly applied, such as folds or bubbles, usually disappear 24/48 hours after removal).
CAUTION:

Vehicles with opaque colors must be washed using a low-pressure water jet cleaner only (no brushes). The paint should never be rubbed with cloth as glossy local areas could arise.

3.4 - POST MAPO/PDI VEHICLES 

Vehicles subjected to MAPO/PDI (Ordinary Tuning) and repositioned in stock must comply with all the requirements and also, since the positioning phase, they must be provided with:

These vehicles must also be washed whenever they are fouled by excrement (e.g. bird guano), atmospheric or chemical attack (e.g. cement powder), oils or other corrosive substances (e.g. surface rust from rail transportation).

Table 2 below gives the periodic maintenance operations for this type of vehicle. The scheduled times for the maintenance operations specified in Table 2 start from the MAPO/PDI execution date.

TABLE 2 - POST MAPO MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS

Operations Frequency
Battery charge check/restore To be performed at the 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, 18th, 21st, 24th month
Protection check/restore To be performed at the 6th and 12th month

Once the vehicle has been prepared for shipment or sale, after a stock time exceeding 30 days from the reception date (PIC) following the MAPO/PDI, it is necessary to check the battery charge state as described in paragraph 3.3.1.

4. ANNEXES 

The following annexes are indicated below:

ANNEX 4.1 - PROTECTIONS 

The protections are assigned to the vehicle according to the logistics section (rail, sea, road transport methods) and the type of vehicle. The minimum level of protection, requires that the following are always present:

EXTERIOR PROTECTIONS:

INTERNAL PROTECTIONS:

On the models with embossed and unpainted bumpers it is not possible to apply adhesive buffers, therefore no restoration is required if they are lacking.

If the door external protection must be restored, for the models for which plastic protection is provided, it can be made with buffers, where there are no plastic protections similar to those provided on the models.

ANNEX 4.2 - DAMAGED VEHICLES PROTECTION 

Whenever damage occurs to one or more parts of the vehicle listed below:

It is necessary to operate as follows:

ANNEX 4.3 - SUPPLEMENTARY BATTERY 

The specific procedures for disconnecting/connecting the negative clamp and checking/charging Grand Cherokee and Wrangler vehicles equipped with supplementary battery are described below.

CAUTION:

The dual battery system (main battery and supplementary battery) cannot be tested or charged with both batteries connected. Be sure to disconnect the batteries.

CAUTION:

Always charge the batteries individually and never connect a discharged battery with a charged one.

CAUTION:

The remote dummy terminals must never be used for checking or recharging (unless explicitly prescribed in an FCA US LLC procedure). This would cause permanent damage to the batteries.

CAUTION:

If a battery requires charging, the other battery must also always be charged, with no exceptions.

CAUTION:

The batteries must be reconnected after having been fully charged and tested.

CAUTION:

Reconnecting batteries with a different percentage/charging voltage will cause the battery to fail.

NOTE:

The operations must be carried out in the numerical sequence shown below.

  1. Disconnect the negative lead of the main battery (starter battery - large battery)
  2. Disconnect the negative lead of the supplementary battery (supplementary battery - small battery)
  3. Check main battery charge
  4. Check supplementary battery charge
  5. Charge main battery
  6. Charge supplementary battery
  7. Reconnect the negative lead of the supplementary battery
  8. Reconnect the negative lead of the main battery

JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 

Disconnecting/connecting the negative clamp and checking/charging 

GC0190987Courtesy of CHRYSLER GROUP, LLC

Preliminary operations

GC0191526Courtesy of CHRYSLER GROUP, LLC

1 - Disconnecting the negative lead of the main battery

GC0191285Courtesy of CHRYSLER GROUP, LLC

2 - Disconnecting the negative lead of the supplementary battery

3-4 - Checking the state of charge (main battery and supplementary battery) 

CAUTION:

A dual battery system cannot be checked with the batteries connected. Make sure the main and supplementary batteries are disconnected.

5-6 - Charging (main and supplementary batteries) 

CAUTION:

A dual battery system cannot be charged with the batteries connected. Make sure that the main and supplementary batteries are disconnected.

CAUTION:

When charging is complete, before disconnecting the charging instrument from the battery terminals, switch off the instrument and only after disconnecting the instrument from the terminals.

GC0191448Courtesy of CHRYSLER GROUP, LLC

7 - Reconnecting the negative lead of the supplementary battery

GC0191506Courtesy of CHRYSLER GROUP, LLC

8 - Reconnecting the negative lead of the main battery

GC0191178Courtesy of CHRYSLER GROUP, LLC

Final operations 

Perform the following operations after reconnecting the leads to the battery terminals:

JEEP WRANGLER 

Disconnecting/connecting the negative clamp and checking/charging 

General information 

The following procedure describes the method for disconnecting and insulating the negative battery leads on vehicles with ESS (Electric Start/Stop). This method is used because of the difficulty of reaching and disconnecting the negative lead connected directly to the supplementary battery (additional battery).

CAUTION:

If the negative battery leads are not properly disconnected and insulated, the system will still be connected meaning that some electrical devices may still switch on and the airbag could deploy.

GC0191473Courtesy of CHRYSLER GROUP, LLC
GC0191473Courtesy of CHRYSLER GROUP, LLC

1-2 - Disconnecting the negative lead (main battery and supplementary battery)

3 - Checking the state of charge of the main battery 

CAUTION:

A dual battery system cannot be checked with the batteries connected. Make sure the main and supplementary batteries are disconnected.

GC0191484Courtesy of CHRYSLER GROUP, LLC

4 - Checking the state of charge of the supplementary battery 

CAUTION:

A dual battery system cannot be checked with the batteries connected. Make sure the main and supplementary batteries are disconnected.

GC0191584Courtesy of CHRYSLER GROUP, LLC

Connect the status of charge check instrument as follows:

Carry out the checks according to the instructions of the instrument.

5 - Charging the main battery 

CAUTION:

A dual battery system cannot be charged with the batteries connected. Make sure that the main and supplementary batteries are disconnected.

GC0191183Courtesy of CHRYSLER GROUP, LLC
CAUTION:

When charging is complete, before disconnecting the charging instrument from the battery terminals, switch off the instrument and only after disconnecting the instrument from the terminals.

6 - Charging the supplementary battery 

CAUTION:

A dual battery system cannot be charged with the batteries connected. Make sure that the main and supplementary batteries are disconnected.

GC0191282Courtesy of CHRYSLER GROUP, LLC

Connect the battery charging tool as follows:

Charge according to the instructions of the equipment.

CAUTION:

When charging is complete, before disconnecting the charging instrument from the battery terminals, switch off the instrument and only after disconnecting the instrument from the terminals.

7-8 - Reconnecting the negative lead (supplementary battery and main battery) 

CAUTION:

When performing this operation, make sure that the terminals of the negative leads, in particular the one of the supplementary battery, do not come into contact with metal surfaces.

GC0191081Courtesy of CHRYSLER GROUP, LLC