Content .. 471 472 473 474 ..

Volkswagen Golf Variant / Jetta. Manual - part 473

Refresh charging is not permitted for VW vehicles, because

voltage surges can damage the on-board electronics.
The Battery - A- must always be disconnected from the vehicle

electrical system when using the refresh charge mode.

Caution

Always set the mode that corresponds to the Battery - A- during

the charging process. Refer to the Battery Charger - VAS5903-

Operating Instructions.
Refresh charging is suitable for wet batteries, which must be

filled with distilled water.
Do not use the refresh charge mode on maintenance-free wet

batteries.

The “Refresh charging REFR” operating mode is only used for

Batteries - A- that are possibly faulty (sulfation). The Battery - A-

is then charged to the maximum specific gravity of the electrolyte

and the plates are reactivated (removal of sulfation layer).

Note

The Battery - A- temperature must be at least 10 °C.

Procedure
– Turn off the ignition and all electrical consumers and remove

the ignition key.

– Connect the Battery Charger - VAS5903- to the power supply.

The last selected operation mode is shown on the display.

Refer to

⇒ “3.3.2 Battery Charger VAS5903 Device Description”, page

Beetle 2012 ➤ , Golf 2015 ➤ , Golf Variant 2007 ➤ , Golf Variant 2010 ➤ ...

INFO

button.

The symbol -1- for “refresh charge of wet batteries” or the symbol

-2- for “refresh charge of Gel/Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) batter‐

ies” is indicated in the display.
– Set the battery capacity (Ah) on the Battery - A- to be charged

with the corresponding

↑

button or

↓

button.

– Connect the red charge terminal (+) to the positive terminal of

the Battery - A- .

Note

On vehicles with a Start/Stop function and an installed Battery

Monitoring Control Module - J367- , the black charge terminal (-)

must be connected to the body ground. The Start/Stop system

will malfunction when it is connected to the Battery - A- negative

terminal.

– Connect the black charge terminal (-) to the negative terminal

of the Battery - A- /negative connector.

The Battery Charger - VAS5900- recognizes the nominal voltage

of the connected Battery - A- (6 V/12 V/24 V) and begins the

charging process automatically.

The Battery Charger - VAS5900- begins the “final charging” when

the charge level is approximately 80 to 85 % of the battery voltage.

The fourth bar is indicated on the display -1-. The Battery - A- is

now ready to be used.

Note

A successful refresh charging depends on the degree of sulfation

on the Battery - A- .

Possible malfunctions and how they are handled
1 - Displayed voltage does not match the nominal voltage:
– Hold down the

↑

button or

↓

button until the charging process

begins.

2 - Displayed battery voltage does not match rated voltage -

charging process has already begun:

– Press the

START/STOP

button two times.

– Hold down the

↑

button or

↓

button until the charging process

begins.

3 - The charger does not recognize a Battery - A- , when the

battery voltage is less than 2 V:

The display remains unchanged.
The set operating mode and Ampere-hours (Ah) are displayed.
Battery - A- charging, ending
– Press the

START/STOP

-button.

– Remove the charging clamps from the battery terminals.
– Disconnect the Battery Charger - VAS5903- from the power.

Beetle 2012 ➤ , Golf 2015 ➤ , Golf Variant 2007 ➤ , Golf Variant 2010 ➤ ...

3. Battery, Charging

Severely Discharged Battery, Charging

with Battery Charger - VAS5903-

Special tools and workshop equipment required
♦ Battery Charger - VAS5903-

WARNING

Risk of injury. Follow all warning messages and safety pre‐

cautions.

Refer

⇒ “1.3 Warnings and Safety Precautions”, page 3

WARNING

Do not check or charge a Battery - A- when the visual indicator

has »no color or is bright yellow«. Jump starting must not be

used!
There is a risk of explosion during testing, charging or jump

starting.
These Batteries - A- must be replaced.

Caution

♦ The polarity protection of the charger clamps is not active

in the operation mode “charging severely discharged bat‐

teries/Support mode”. Connect the charger clamps to the

battery terminals correctly according to polarity!

♦ Always set the mode that corresponds to the Battery - A-

during the charging process. Refer to the Battery Charger

- VAS5903- Operating Instructions.

♦ The Battery Charger - VAS5903- does not recognize the

severely discharged Battery - A- . Refer to

⇒ “3.7 Severely Discharged Batteries”, page 68

♦ Do not touch

START/STOP

button when battery cables are

incorrectly connected! The Battery Charger - VAS5903-

can become damaged.

The Battery Charger - VAS5903- will not automatically recognize

the Battery - A- for Batteries - A- with a voltage less than 2 V.

Note

♦

For information. Refer to the chapter

⇒ “3.7 Severely Discharged Batteries”, page 68

♦

The Battery - A- temperature must be at least 10 °C (50 °F).

♦

Severely discharged batteries in vehicles must be replaced

prior to delivery. Pre-existing damage cannot be ruled out.

Procedure
– Turn off the ignition and all electrical consumers and remove

the ignition key.

– Connect the Battery Charger - VAS5903- to the power supply.

The last selected operation mode is shown on the display.

Beetle 2012 ➤ , Golf 2015 ➤ , Golf Variant 2007 ➤ , Golf Variant 2010 ➤ ...

⇒ “3.3.2 Battery Charger VAS5903 Device Description”, page

– Set the battery type with the

INFO

button.

The symbol -1- for “service charge of wet batteries” or the symbol

-2- for “service charge of Gel/Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) bat‐

teries” is indicated in the display.
– Set the battery capacity (Ah) on the Battery - A- to be charged

with the corresponding

↑

button or

↓

button.

– Connect the red charge terminal (+) to the positive terminal of

the Battery - A- .

Note

On vehicles with a Start/Stop function and an installed Battery

Monitoring Control Module - J367- , the black charge terminal (-)

must be connected to the body ground. The Start/Stop system

will malfunction when it is connected to the Battery - A- negative

terminal.

– Connect the black charge terminal (-) to the negative terminal

of the Battery - A- /negative connector.

– Press the

START/STOP

button for about 5 seconds. The menu

selection “Charging severely discharged batteries/Support

mode” is activated.

– Press the corresponding

↑

-button or

↓

button to adjust the

battery voltage(6 V/12 V/24 V).

Note

If no button is touched within five seconds, the Battery Charger -

VAS5903- will return to the main menu (operating mode selec‐

tion).

– Select the battery voltage by pressing the

START/STOP

button.

Then the inquiry about the correct polarity of the charging clamps

is made.
– Check correct polarity connection of charger clamps.
– Confirm charging clamps are connected to correct poles via

START/STOP

button.

The Battery Charger - VAS5903- starts to charge the severely

discharged Battery - A- .
Battery - A- Charging, Ending
– Press the

START/STOP

-button.

– Remove the charging clamps from the battery terminals.
– Disconnect the Battery Charger - VAS5903- from the power.

3.3.6

Battery Charger - VAS5903- Support

Mode

Special tools and workshop equipment required
♦ Battery Charger - VAS5903-

Beetle 2012 ➤ , Golf 2015 ➤ , Golf Variant 2007 ➤ , Golf Variant 2010 ➤ ...

3. Battery, Charging

Content .. 471 472 473 474 ..