AfterSales TSO – Circular Letter
MAS002623
(MCL 21-17)

From: Aftersales – TSO
To: Maserati Network
Auburn Hills, MI | June 16, 2021
MODELS: All Maserati Models
SUBJECT: Guidelines for Battery Maintenance, Charging and Replacement under Warranty
NOTE: This Bulletin supersedes and replaces Bulletin numbers MAS000663,
MAS000663/A, MAS000663/B, and MAS000663C.
To help preserve a vehicle’s battery life, it is important to maintain and recharge the
battery when necessary. Please see the suggested guidelines in this bulletin for battery
maintenance and charging.
NOTE: On Dealer owned vehicles, all battery test results together with PDI
checklists must be kept in the vehicle file at your dealer for future reference.
Warranty Claim
If submitting a warranty claim for battery replacement or recharging, the following documents
must be attached to the Service Entry and the warranty claim:
• Results of the test (refers to Diagnosis activity) carried out with PicoDiagnostics upon
vehicle arrival at the workshop (name the file as Starting_test). If the battery is too
dead to test with the Pico scope, another battery tester that offers printed results may
be used. The test results must show the following: chassis number, vehicle mileage,
CCA, voltage, battery condition and a bad cell, yes or no.
If the alternate tester doesn’t have a print option, a picture with the test results and
hand written vin number along with a signature of the service manager must be attached
to the warranty claim.
• Results of the test (refers to Diagnosis activity) carried out with PicoDiagnostics after
having fully charged the battery (refers to Charging Process) and having left it in open
circuit for at least 4 hrs.(name this file as Final_test)
• Photos of the battery label showing the P/N and CCA rating along with a sticky note
showing time and date.
IMPORTANT: Any Warranty claim submitted without any of the above information is subject
to being rejected.

Repair Procedures:
Follow the instructions below in order to produce the necessary documentation:
A. DIAGNOSIS PROCESS
• Step 1 - Pre Diagnosis
• Step 2 - Visual Assessment
• Step 3 - Checking Battery Charge – Examples of abnormal
results
B. RECHARGE PROCESS
C. ANNEX I – Battery Types

A. DIAGNOSIS PROCESS
Step 1 - Pre Diagnosis
First entry for a dead battery

1. Make sure there are no aftermarket components installed on the vehicle
2. Check the charging system for proper operation
3. Carry out a no load absorption test to exclude any abnormal absorption
- If charging is not correct, continue the diagnosis
4. Make a vehicle scan report after having deleted any low voltage errors
5. If DTCs are present or the customer complains of other faults, start by checking the
component or function that’s causing the error / fault by checking the condition of the
connections, wiring and fuses related to that component.
Step 2 – Visual assessment
Visual assessment
Visually inspect the battery. Check the terminals for damage or corrosion and ensure they
are properly secured. Poor contacts may prevent proper operation and adversely affect
battery life. Make sure that the battery housing is not damaged, and that the battery is
properly secured in the battery compartment. For lead acid batteries, if the cover
includes an optical hydrometer, ensure that the acid level is correct.
Always avoid operating the battery at low state of charge. Allowing a battery to go below
50% of charge level for a long period of time could lead to a sulfated battery and reduce
the battery's capacity and starting current. Also, the battery could become prone to
freezing. Use a digital multi-meter to measure the battery voltage, if lower than 12.4Volts,
recharge the battery.
It is recommended to regularly check the battery state of charge and increase the
frequency of the checks when the car is held in stock or primarily used for short-distancetrips.

Step 3 - Checking the Battery State of Charge
Battery condition, along with the starting and recharging circuits can be checked using the
Picoscope application on the Maserati Diagnosi. Select the proper battery specifications
according to the information printed on the battery label (type, rated voltage, starting
current and test temperature) before beginning the tests.
The battery must be installed in the car and charged sufficiently to start the engine.
The check sequence is as follows:
1. Connect MDVMM to the diagnosis computer, run the PicoDiagnostics software and
select "Test battery".
2. Connect a standard test cable with BNC connector to channel A of MDVMM; use
two crocodile clamps to connect test cable to the battery positive and negative
poles. (Fig.1)
3. Connect the 200/2000A ammeter clamp to channel B of MDVMM and clamp it
around the battery positive or negative cable (Fig.1) to measure the starting and
recharging amperage.

Fig.1
4. Select the correct battery specifications: lead acid-type battery (option “Lead acid”),
AGM or EFB.
The type of battery is normally indicated on the adhesive labels applied on the battery.

5. Input the remaining data: nominal voltage drop, CCA nominal value (EN or SAE
value), battery temperature.
The following table shows, as an example, the technical specifications related to the
batteries installed by Maserati on the most recent models:

Spare

Maserati Spare
PN

PN Co.De.P

TYPE

Specification

Standard

673000080

670008110
670002027
670005523
670037337

EFB

100AH‐800A

EN

AGM
EFB

95AH‐850A
95AH‐800A

EN
EN

673001440
673005577

NOTE: In case of incorrect entered battery specification values, the outcome of the
Battery test must be considered unreliable, resulting in the rejection of the related
warranty.

6. Make sure that the KIN of the Vehicle is in OFF position and that the Vehicle is in
sleep mode (i.e. the IPC central display is off) before clicking the “Start” button of the
application and proceeding with the engine cranking.
7. Click Start on the screen and crank the engine.

The program will analyze voltage and current data from the battery, both during starting and
during recharging. This data provides useful information on battery status and the starting and
recharging circuits. Results are shown on the display. Voltage and current are also displayed
in a chart as shown below.
In the battery test outcome report, only “Condition” must be evaluated according to
indications provided below.

If State of Charge is correct but the Cold Start Current (CCA, Cold Cranking
Amps) is low, check battery connections. A loose, dirty or oxidized connection
could create additional resistance in the circuit. In such cases, first restore the
normal status of the connections before beginning the test.
If the State of Charge is low, run a complete recharging cycle and repeat the test
after waiting at least 4 hours. Should it be necessary to recharge the battery, use
a battery charger suitable for the various types of batteries installed in Maserati
vehicles. Even in this case, select the correct battery specifications and comply
with recharging time and methods as indicated by the charger.
Recommendations: in order to achieve the correct results from the Battery Test
please observe the following:
•

Make sure that the current clamp is not “Off”, after a period of time this
might happen as a result of the auto-off settings of the tool.

•

Do not connect a battery maintainer or battery booster or similar devices. If
they are connected to the battery this might alter the value of the maximum
current reading. This alteration is due to the fact that part of the current would
be supplied by the external device.

•

If the current clamp is not “ON” or connected correctly, it might happen that
the value of the “maximum current” measured by the tool is too low or null, this
could affect the results of the Battery Test, which then could recommend a
battery replacement.

•

Following a battery charge cycle and before carrying out a new Battery Test, it
isnecessary to wait at least 4 hours in order to obtain a reliable result.

Please follow the above recommendations if not, this might result in implausible
outcomes of the test which might erroneously suggest that a battery replacement is
required.
Furthermore, it is important to specify that the State of Charge (SOC) resulting from the
test should NOT be used to estimate the residual charge after a number of rest and
recharge cycles of the battery.
NOTES ABOUT STEP 3 - ABNORMAL RESULTS- EXAMPLES
The below examples are tests that were carried out wrong resulting in incorrect
results.
CURRENT CLAMP NOT CONNECTED OR OFF

BATTERY MAINTAINER/BOOSTER CONNECTED TO THE VEHICLE

NOTE: Warranty Claims related to incorrect / implausible test reports can be subject to
rejection.

B. RECHARGE PROCESS
BATTERY CHARGE – Recommendations
Please remember that the recharging process generates hydrogen, a potentially
hazardous gas. Please wear the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment.
Always follow these precautions when recharging a battery:
•

Recharge the battery in a well-ventilated environment.

•

Never recharge a battery that has been frozen.

•

Ensure that the area is well away from sparks and/or open flames.

•

Do not interrupt battery charging until the charger confirms charge
complete.

BATTERY CHARGING – Procedures
When charging the vehicle’s battery using an external battery charger, make sure
to connect the charger clamps correctly so that the IBS can monitor the negative
charger clamp (see arrows). Any point on the chassis and IBS is acceptable with
the only exception of the clamp only being on the negative battery post.
Refer to the below picture.

RECHARGING THE BATTERY
WARNING: The recharging process generates hydrogen, a potentially hazardous gas.
Always be sure to follow these precautions when recharging a battery:
• Recharge the battery in a well-ventilated environment.
• Never attempt to recharge a battery that has been frozen.
• Ensure that the charging area is away from any sparks and/or open flames.
When recharging a battery, use a charger suitable for the various types of batteries currently
in Maserati vehicles. Always select the correct battery specifications and comply with
recharging times and methods recommended by the manufacturer of the charger being used.

Ensure the battery charger being used meets or exceeds the minimum requirements listed
below.
Parameter/Condition

Minimum Requirement

Operating condition

The charger must be capable to operate outdoors
and be weather resistant

Operating Temperature

0ºC to +50ºC (32ºF to +150ºF)

Storage Temperature

-20ºC to +70ºC (-5ºF to +155ºF)

Power supply voltage

120V AC – 60Hz /15A

Type of batteries to recharge

Lead Acid, AGM Spiral, AGM

Charging Mode

Automatic / Manual

Test Standard

IEC, EN1, EN2, SAE, DIN
Charger must NOT work if:
- Not connected to a battery
- Not properly connected to a battery
(reversed polarity)

Safety Features / Protection

Cable length

Over 1.5 metres (4 feet or longer)

Compliance to

- CEN/CENELEC EN 45014
- ISO/IEC, UL

Information on ID label

- Trademark
- Voltage (V)
- Charging current (A)

User documents

Recharge instructions and relevant warnings

Note: When recharging a battery, using a battery charger that fails to meet or exceed the
above minimum requirements may result in incorrect battery recharging. Damage to
the vehicle’s electric/electronic components could occur, and a subsequent repair to
correct said damage is not warrantable item.
For more information on battery chargers and recharging AGM batteries, refer to Maserati
Tech Tips 27 sent 9/24/2012.

C. ANNEX I: BATTERY TYPES
Battery types
The 2 types of Batteries used in Maserati vehicles (depending on the year and model type)
can be:
• A –Lead acid
• B –AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat).
Lead acid batteries can be broken down into:
• A1 – Pb for standard applications.
• A2 – Pb Heavy Duty for Start&Stop applications.

If you have any questions contact your RAM or Maserati Technical Support.
Thank you for your continued support and cooperation.
Maserati North America, Inc.
Aftersales Department

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Aftersales
www.maserati.com

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