Operation CHARM: Car repair manuals for everyone.

Starting and Charging: Service Precautions

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.
- Get medical help.
- Follow each step of the jump starting procedure in order.
- Treat both the booster and the discharged batteries carefully when using the jumper cables.
- Do not connect a jumper cable directly to the negative terminal of a discharged battery to prevent sparking and possible explosion of battery gases.