Battery Testing

The battery must be completely charged and the terminals should be properly cleaned and inspected before diagnostic procedures are performed. Refer to Battery System Cleaning for the proper cleaning procedures, and Battery System Inspection for the proper battery inspection procedures. Refer to Standard Procedures for the proper battery charging procedures.

Micro 420 Battery Tester
The Micro420 automotive battery tester is designed to help the dealership technicians diagnose the cause of a defective battery. Follow the instruction manual supplied with the tester to properly diagnose a vehicle. If the instruction manual is not available refer to the standard procedure in this section, which includes the directions for using the Micro 420 battery tester.

WARNING:
- IF THE BATTERY SHOWS SIGNS OF FREEZING, LEAKING OR LOOSE POSTS, DO NOT TEST, ASSIST-BOOST, OR CHARGE. THE BATTERY MAY ARC INTERNALLY AND EXPLODE. PERSONAL INJURY AND/OR VEHICLE DAMAGE MAY RESULT.
- EXPLOSIVE HYDROGEN GAS FORMS IN AND AROUND THE BATTERY. DO NOT SMOKE, USE FLAME, OR CREATE SPARKS NEAR THE BATTERY. PERSONAL INJURY AND/OR VEHICLE DAMAGE MAY RESULT.
- THE BATTERY CONTAINS SULFURIC ACID, WHICH IS POISONOUS AND CAUSTIC. AVOID CONTACT WITH THE SKIN, EYES, OR CLOTHING. IN THE EVENT OF CONTACT, FLUSH WITH WATER AND CALL A PHYSICIAN IMMEDIATELY. KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN.

A battery that will not accept a charge is faulty, and must be replaced. Further testing is not required. A fully-charged battery must be load tested to determine its cranking capacity. A battery that is fully-charged, but does not pass the load test, is faulty and must be replaced.

NOTE: Completely discharged batteries may take several hours to accept a charge. Refer to Standard Procedures for the proper battery charging procedures.

1. If testing the battery OUT-OF-VEHICLE, clean the battery terminals with a wire brush before testing. If the battery is equipped with side post terminals, install and tighten the supplied lead terminal stud adapters. Do not use steel bolts. Failure to properly install the stud adapters, or using stud adapters that are dirty or worn-out may result in false test readings.
2. If testing the battery IN-THE-VEHICLE, make certain all of the vehicle accessory loads are OFF, including the ignition. The preferred test position is at the battery terminal. If the battery is not accessible, you may test using both the positive and negative jumper posts. Select TESTING AT JUMPER POST when connecting to that location.

Micro 420 Battery Tester:

3. Connect the tester to the battery or jumper posts, the red clamp to positive (+) and the black clamp to negative (-).

NOTE: Multiple batteries connected in parallel must have the ground cable disconnected to perform a battery test. Failure to disconnect may result in false battery test readings.

4. Using the ARROW key select in or out of vehicle testing and press ENTER to make a selection.

Battery Test Results:

5. If not selected, choose the Cold Cranking Amp (CCA) battery rating. Or select the appropriate battery rating for your area (see menu). The tester will then run its self programmed test of the battery and display the results. Refer to the test result table noted below.

CAUTION: If REPLACE BATTERY is the result of the test, this may mean a poor connection between the vehicle's cables and battery exists. After disconnecting the vehicle's battery cables from the battery, retest the battery using the OUT-OF-VEHICLE test before replacing.

6. While viewing the battery test result, press the CODE button and the tester will prompt you for the last 4 digits of the VIN. Use the UP/DOWN arrow buttons to scroll to the correct character; then press ENTER to select and move to the next digit. Then press the ENTER button to view the SERVICE CODE. Pressing the CODE button a second time will return you to the test results.

NOTE: The SERVICE CODE is required on every warranty claim submitted for battery replacement.