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consumed, but only a small amount is supplied.
The situation is also critical if electrical equip
ment is in use when the engine is not running. In
this case power is consumed when none is being
generated.
In these situations you will be aware that the
power management system is intervening to con
trol the distribution of electrical power.
When the vehicle is parked for long periods
If you do not drive your vehicle for a period of
several days or weeks, the power management
will gradually shut off the on-board systems one
by one, or reduce the amount of current they are
using. This limits the amount of power consumed
and helps to ensure reliable starting even after a
long period. Certain convenience features, such
as remote control unlocking, may not be availa
ble. These functions will be restored when you
switch on the ignition and start the engine.
With the engine switched off
If you listen to the radio or use the other info
tainment functions when the engine is not run
ning, this will discharge the vehicle battery.
The infotainment display will show a warning
message before the battery power drops to a lev
el where the starting ability is impaired. This
message warns you that the system you are using
will soon be switched off automatically. You
should therefore start the engine if you wish to
continue using the system.
When the engine is running
Although the alternator generates electrical
power, the vehicle battery can still become dis
charged while the vehicle is being driven. This can
occur when a lot of power is being consumed but
only a small amount supplied, especially if the
vehicle battery is not fully charged initially.
To restore the necessary energy balance, the sys
tem will then temporarily shut off the electrical
components that are using a lot of power, or re
duce the current they are consuming. Heating
systems in particular use a large amount of elec
trical power. If you notice, for instance, that the
seat heating* or the rear window heater is not
Intelligent technology
working, they may have been temporarily switch
ed off or regulated to a lower heat output. These
systems will be available again as soon as suffi
cient electrical power is available.
You may also notice that the engine runs at a
slightly faster idling speed. This is quite normal,
and no cause for concern. The increased idling
speed allows the alternator to meet the greater
power requirement and charge the vehicle bat
tery at the same time.
Information saved in the
control units
The vehicle is fitted in the factory with electronic
control units that, among other things, control
the engine and the gearbox. The control units al
so monitor the exhaust system and the airbags.
The control units continually analyse data rele
vant to the vehicle while you are driving. In the
event of faults or anomalies in the vehicle data,
only these data are saved. As a rule, faults are
shown by the warning lamps in the instrument
cluster.
Data saved in the control units can only be read
and analysed with special equipment.
A qualified workshop is only able to recognise
and deal with faults by using the relevant saved
data. Among other things, the saved data may
contain the following information:
- Data relating to the engine and the gearbox
-Speed
- Direction of travel
- Braking force
-Seat belt warning system data
The control units installed will not under any cir
cumstances record conversations in the vehicle.
Event data recorder
Your vehicle is
not
equipped with an event data
recorder.
In an event data recorder, information about the
vehicle is temporarily saved. In the event of an
accident, you can therefore obtain detailed infor-
mation about the course of events. On vehicles
...,.
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