Caution: Batteries produce explosive gases. Batteries contain corrosive acid.
Batteries supply levels of electrical current high enough to cause burns.
Therefore, in order to reduce the risk of personal injury while working
near a battery, observe the following guidelines:
| • | Always shield your eyes. |
| • | Avoid leaning over the battery whenever possible. |
| • | Do not expose the battery to open flames or sparks. |
| • | Do not allow battery acid to contact the eyes or the skin. |
| - | Flush any contacted areas with water immediately and thoroughly. |
Certain electronic devices on the vehicle maintain a small
continuous current drain (parasitic load) on the battery, such as a PCM or
a VCM. A battery that is not used for an extended period of time will discharge.
Eventually permanent damage will result. Discharged batteries will also freeze
in cold weather.
- Do the following in order to maintain the battery state of charge
while storing the vehicle for more than 30 days:
| • | Ensure that the green dot is visible in the built-in hydrometer. |
| • | Disconnect the negative battery cable to protect the battery from
discharge by parasitic current drains. |
- When it is time to reconnect the battery, use the following procedure:
| • | Lightly wire brush any oxidation from the contact face of the
battery terminal and the battery post before reattaching the cable. |
Tighten
Tighten the battery cable bolt to 15 N·m (11 lb ft).
Notice: Use the correct fastener in the correct location. Replacement fasteners
must be the correct part number for that application. Fasteners requiring
replacement or fasteners requiring the use of thread locking compound or sealant
are identified in the service procedure. Do not use paints, lubricants, or
corrosion inhibitors on fasteners or fastener joint surfaces unless specified.
These coatings affect fastener torque and joint clamping force and may damage
the fastener. Use the correct tightening sequence and specifications when
installing fasteners in order to avoid damage to parts and systems.
| • | Reset the clock and the push-button tuning radio before the vehicle
is put back into service. |
| • | Maintain a high state of charge when the battery cannot be disconnected. |
| • | Establish a regular schedule for recharging the battery every
20-45 days. |
| - | When a battery is found without a green dot visible in the hydrometer,
promptly recharge the battery. |
| - | To reduce charging time, use a battery charger that can produce
a charging voltage of at least 16 Volts. |
| - | Original equipment maintenance free batteries are not damaged
by charging rates of 50 Amps or more. |
| - | The battery will not be damaged as long as the battery does not
spew acid from the vents or get hotter than 52°C (125°F). |
| - | Check the battery being charged every 45-60 minutes. |
| - | If gassing or overheating does occur, reduce the rate of charge,
or stop if necessary. |
| - | Avoid overcharging by stopping one hour after the green dot appears
in the hydrometer. |
| • | Allow ample charging time. Refer to Battery Charging
. |
| • | A battery that has remained in a discharged state for a long period
of time is difficult to recharge or may be permanently damaged. |
