Principle of operation
The diesel charging system differs from that used in petrol-engined variants in that it incorporates a 'smartcharge' function.
This function is capable of supplying infinitely variable voltages to the battery, depending on the temperature and on the current requirements of the battery.
The system continuously monitors the battery voltage and temperature (via the ambient air temperature sensor), and uses a map of both to deliver the optimum charge to the battery.
Another feature of this system is that it uses a 'wake-up' and 'sleep' strategy, initiated by the ignition switch position and engine control module (ECM) to avoid current drain.