Picture this. It's 2 am and an alarm is going off in the van. Your heart is racing and everyone is waking up confused. This is the moment a battery alarm is built for, and the best thing you can do is know what to do before it ever happens.
Read this once now, share it with everyone who travels with you, and you'll be ready.
First, take a breath. The alarm has done its job.
A battery alarm is an early warning. It goes off because it has picked up something that isn't right, often before you can see, smell or hear anything yourself. It is giving you time, so use it calmly.
The four steps
- Switch the charger off. If it's safe to reach, turn off the charging source: shore power at the outlet, the solar, the DC-DC charger, or the engine if you're driving. A failing battery that keeps being charged can get worse.
- Isolate the battery. If you have a battery isolator and it's safe to reach, switch it off. Don't open the battery box or touch a battery that is swelling, hissing, leaking or smoking.
- Get everyone out and away. People first, then pets. Move well back from the van or vehicle, upwind if you can, and keep everyone together. Smoke from a lithium battery can be toxic, so don't stand in it.
- Call 000 if there's smoke or fire. Tell them it's a lithium battery, where you are and whether everyone is out. At a caravan park, let the staff and your neighbours know too.
If you only remember one thing: switch it off at the first alarm. Acting early may stop things going further into thermal runaway, before a bad situation turns into a fire.
Why getting out early matters
In March 2025, at a caravan park in Auburn, South Australia, the CFS said the occupants spotted smoke coming from lithium-ion batteries before the fire started. They got out safely, but the caravan was destroyed. In July 2024, three people were taken to hospital after a caravan fire in Southport on the Gold Coast that emergency services said appeared to start in lithium-ion battery cells. A van can be replaced. Your family can't, so get out first and stay out.
What not to do
- Don't try to fight a lithium battery fire yourself. Get out and leave it to emergency services.
- Don't go back inside for phones, wallets or anything else.
- Don't open the battery compartment for a look while the alarm is active.
- Don't switch the charger or battery back on to see if it happens again.
If you're driving
Pull over somewhere safe as soon as you can, switch off the engine to stop charging from the vehicle, and get everyone out and away. Isolate the battery only if it's safe to reach.
If your alarm is a Temp Guard
The front panel tells you how serious it is. Always go by the lights, even if you've silenced the sound. In short: WARNING (blue) means running hot, so ease off charging and loads; CRITICAL (red) means switch off charging and keep clear; RAPID EVENT (pink, blue and red flashing together) means move away and call 000 if you see smoke or fire. Our Temp Guard alarm levels guide explains each one in full.
Afterwards
- Don't use or charge the battery again until your battery supplier or a qualified auto electrician has checked it.
- Have the connections, cabling and chargers checked at the same time.
- Take photos and contact your insurer if there's been any damage.
Make a plan before you need it
Agree a meeting spot, show everyone where the isolator is, and keep a torch where you can grab it in the dark. Do a quick practice run on the first night of your trip. It takes two minutes. Our Christmas holidays caravan battery checklist has the rest.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do first if my battery alarm goes off?
Switch the charger off if it's safe to reach, then isolate the battery if you can, get everyone out and away, and call 000 if there is smoke or fire.
Should I open the battery box to check?
No. Don't open the compartment or touch a battery that is swelling, hissing, leaking or smoking.
Can I put out a lithium battery fire myself?
Don't try. Get everyone out and leave it to emergency services.
Can I keep using the battery after an alarm?
Not until your battery supplier or a qualified auto electrician has checked it.
More on Temp Guard
- How Temp Guard works and who it's for
- Temp Guard alarm levels explained: WARNING, CRITICAL and RAPID EVENT
- Still watching when protection fails: why an independent battery monitor matters
- Lithium battery safety in summer: keeping your caravan and 4WD cool
- Fitting your own lithium battery in a battery box? Add Temp Guard
- Protect your family this Christmas holidays: a caravan battery safety checklist
- Lithium battery protection: why batteries still catch fire (already live)
Meet Temp Guard. See the Temp Guard range.
Designed by Durst Industries Australia. When protection fails, Temp Guard is still watching.
Last updated 3 November 2026
