Warning: Carrying out battery checks and maintenance requires some special precautions. Remember that the hydrogen released by the electrolyte is a highly explosive gas. Do not smoke or bring an open flame or lit cigarette to the work area!
Warning: The basis of the battery electrolyte is ACID! If electrolyte gets on your skin or in your eyes, failure to take action may result in burns or even loss of vision - rinse them immediately with plenty of water, seek medical help promptly! Wear protective glasses and gloves when handling the battery! Wash your hands thoroughly after handling, do not keep the rags used to wipe the battery surfaces. Electrolyte can also easily damage the fabric of clothing and the paintwork of body panels!
Caution: When disconnecting the battery, always disconnect the negative cable first - reconnect it last! Refer to Chapter 5 for instructions and recommendations.
General information
1. All models covered in this Manual are equipped with a 12-volt battery. On Corsa C models, it is located in the right (in the direction of travel) the rear of the engine compartment in the recess under the windshield, between the engine compartment bulkhead and the passenger compartment bulkhead, and on Meriva models - on the left side of the engine compartment in front of the expansion tank. The battery consists of six cans, which contain positive and negative plates (lamellas) immersed in a sulfuric acid solution. The main task of the battery is to generate the current required to start the engine, ignite/activate glow plugs and for lighting, as well as to provide power to other on-board or auxiliary consumers of electrical energy.
2. Modern batteries, if the minimum maintenance requirements (see below) are met and when used under normal conditions, do not require additional maintenance and are designed, on average, to last 4 years.
3. When installing additional electrical and electronic equipment on the vehicle, the load on the battery may increase and a battery with a higher capacity may be required - consult an Opel service station about the possibility of using such a battery.
Attention: The battery charging system is designed for strictly defined capacity values! Installing a battery with either too much or too little capacity will result in its premature failure - strictly follow the recommendations of specialists, and if necessary, make the appropriate adjustments at a service station.
4. If you do not plan to use the car for 30 days or more, disconnect the negative cable from the battery to prevent its premature discharge, and in winter, at very low outside temperatures, it is recommended to remove the battery and store it in a room with a positive (but not high, up to +10°C) temperature.
Note: After connecting the battery, you must enter the security code for the infotainment system, reset the chronometer and set the date on the information display and, if equipped, synchronize the electric windows (see Chapter "Controls and operating techniques").
5. The quality of the contact between the battery terminals and the connecting wires is of particular importance for ensuring reliable engine starting and long-term trouble-free operation of the battery. Every time you look under the hood of the car, check the reliability and completeness of their contact, tighten the fasteners properly.
6. A conscientious attitude to the implementation of routine preventive maintenance procedures for the battery is the only guarantee of a quick and trouble-free engine start. Before starting battery maintenance, make sure that you have all the necessary materials and tools at hand to ensure the safety of the work (see accompanying illustration), try to use only non-sparking tools.
11.6. Tools and materials required for battery maintenance:
1. Face shield/safety glasses - When removing corrosion marks with a stiff brush, crystallized acid particles can easily get into the eyes.
2. Baking soda - an aqueous solution of baking soda is used to neutralize traces of corrosion.
3. Acid-free petroleum jelly - lubricating the battery terminals will help prevent corrosion in the future.
4. Battery Terminal/Wire Terminal Stripper - Specially shaped stiff wire brush attachments help effectively strip battery terminals and terminal clamps.
5. Impregnated felt washers - installing such a washer directly under the terminal clamp will prevent the development of corrosion.
6. Puller - sometimes the wire clamps are seated on the terminals very tightly and cannot be removed even if the fasteners are completely released.
7. Battery terminal/wire end stripper - although different in design from that mentioned in point 4, it is designed to perform the same tasks.
8. Rubber gloves - the importance of this protective equipment should not be underestimated - do not forget that the battery contains sulfuric acid!
7. Before starting work, be sure to turn off the engine and all electrical consumers. Disconnect the negative cable from the battery. When servicing the battery, wear protective glasses and gloves, and do not allow children to approach the work area.
Service
8. First of all, examine the external condition of the battery. If the positive battery terminal with the clamp put on it is equipped with a rubber protective cover, make sure that the latter is not damaged. The cover must completely cover the metal components of the terminal connection. Check the condition and reliability of the fastening of the terminal connections, inspect the battery cover for cracks and other mechanical damage. Make sure that the clamping bolts are securely fastened. Assess the condition of the insulation of the battery wires along their entire length.
Caution: If the wire is not securely fastened to the positive battery terminal, disconnect the lead from the negative terminal before tightening it to avoid the possibility of a short circuit! After tightening the positive wire, reconnect the wire to the negative battery terminal (see Chapter 5).
9. If traces of corrosion in the form of a white powdery coating are found on the surface of the battery (see accompanying illustration), especially near the terminal locations, it is necessary to remove the battery from the vehicle for a thorough external cleaning. The procedure for removing and installing the battery is given in Chapter 5, Section 8.
11.9. Terminal corrosion usually appears as a white powdery deposit
10. Thoroughly clean the contact surfaces of the wire terminal clamps and the battery terminals with special brushes using a 10% solution of baking soda/technical soda (see accompanying illustrations). Clean the battery terminals with the same solution and wash the surface of its cover. Make sure that the solution does not get inside the jars. Clean in a protective mask/glasses and rubber gloves to avoid getting acid particles in your eyes and on your hands. Also try to choose appropriate clothing that you won't mind throwing away later. After finishing cleaning, wipe all battery surfaces with a clean, slightly damp towel/rag soaked in the soda solution.
11.10.a Cleaning the terminal clamp using a special brush |
11.10b. Stripping the pole terminal |
11. Check the condition of the installation site and the clamping bar mounting stud. Wash the tray with a solution of baking soda, - treat the areas damaged by corrosion with a zinc-based primer or special compounds designed to protect against corrosion and reduce the effects of acid.
12. Make sure that no tools or materials are left at the battery installation site. Install the battery and tighten the clamping bar mounting bolt - a weak mount will cause the battery to vibrate and shake while the vehicle is moving, and as a result, will cause it to fail prematurely.
13. To protect the terminal connections from corrosion, it is recommended to put specially treated felt washers on the battery terminals. After connecting the wires, cover the terminal assemblies with acid-free petroleum jelly. Remember that the negative wire is always connected last!
14. Ensure that the clamp fasteners are tightened securely.
Charger
15. Continuous charging of the battery is performed by the generator current with the engine running. In case of a long break in the operation of the vehicle (more than 1 month), occurrence of faults in the charging system, frequent engine starting in unfavorable conditions or when the battery is approaching its final service life, it may be necessary to charge it by removing it from the vehicle. Regularly check the battery condition, do not allow it to discharge completely.
16. Almost all sealed maintenance-free batteries equipped with a charge level indicator (see accompanying illustration). Compare the color of the indicator spot in the viewing window with the indicator status map printed on a special label pasted to the battery case - as a rule, a normally charged battery has a green indicator. Some batteries are placed in a sealed case and are equipped with a built-in hydrometer, allowing you to visually determine the battery charge level by the color of the color spot, the color of which is specified in the battery operating instructions.
11.16. Sealed batteries are equipped with a charge level indicator - a label with a map of the indicator spot states is attached to the battery case
17. If there is no indicator, the battery charge level can be checked using special devices - a voltmeter and a hydrometer. Before checking, the battery must be stationary and not activated for at least 2 hours - turn off the ignition and do not start the engine. Using a voltmeter, measure the voltage between the terminals of the battery - it should be at least 12.5 V. The density of the electrolyte depends on the outside temperature. For certain operating conditions, a specific density value is established - consult with specialists. If the density of the electrolyte decreases below the minimum permissible values, it is necessary to urgently charge the battery, regardless of the voltmeter readings.
18. Charge a discharged battery in a well-ventilated room equipped with all safety measures for working with batteries, and outside the vehicle. Hydrogen released during charging is an extremely flammable and fire-hazardous gas. In addition, it is chemically aggressive towards paintwork.
Warning: Charging the vehicle without disconnecting the wires from the battery may result in failure of the vehicle's electrical components!
19. When using a charger, strictly follow the manufacturer's instructions. Before connecting or disconnecting the battery from the charger, make sure that the device is disconnected from the power supply. If the device is equipped with a selector switch, make sure that it is set to 12 V. During charging, all battery can neck caps (if any are provided) must be open. Before removing the plugs, clean the adjacent surfaces from dust and dirt, do not allow foreign particles to enter the battery banks. If there are no proper conditions, it is advisable to seek help at a service station.
Note: It happens that immediately after charging the battery the indicator does not turn green. Start using the battery - if it is OK, after some time the indicator will acquire the required color as a result of mixing the electrolyte when the car is moving.
Checking the electrolyte level
20. On batteries with filler holes, it is necessary to periodically, especially in hot weather, check the electrolyte level in the jars. Attention: Do not allow the battery to operate for a long time with an insufficient electrolyte level - this can lead to overcharging the battery, destruction of the plates and a significant reduction in its service life!
21. The electrolyte level is checked visually, through the translucent plastic battery case. The level in ALL battery sections should be between the MIN and MAX marks on the battery case.
22. If the electrolyte level is not visible through the housing, check it through the filler holes of the battery sections; it should reach the lower edge of the filler hole sleeve or cover the internal mesh of the battery can (depending on the battery design).
23. If it is necessary to adjust the electrolyte level, add the required amount of DISTILLED water.
Note: Do not add too much water; excess electrolyte is removed using a special hand pump (bulb).
Warning: Electrolyte is an acid solution! It should be collected in special containers and disposed of properly! If you do not have sufficient experience or the appropriate capabilities, leave the operation of adjusting the electrolyte level to service station specialists!
24. After completing the level adjustment, close the filler holes tightly and wipe the battery surfaces with a rag soaked in an alkaline solution.
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