car maintenance

Why do car batteries die in winter?

A roadside technician checks a failing car battery.
The cold winter weather doesn’t play nicely with your car’s battery.

There’s nothing worse than heading out on a freezing winter morning, turning the key… and being met with silence.

A flat car battery is one of the most common causes of breakdowns during cold weather – and it can happen anytime, without much warning. Even if your battery seemed perfectly fine in recent months, winter conditions can quickly expose hidden weaknesses.

So, why do car batteries die in winter? And what can you do to prevent being stranded with a car that won’t start? Let’s look at why cold weather can prove so challenging.

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James Orry Leave a comment

How to change your windscreen wipers

Windscreen wiper blades play a vital role in giving drivers a better, clearer view of the road.

Being able to change your car’s windscreen wiper blades is a vital car maintenance skill. The process varies from car to car but there are similarities between all of them which we’ve covered below with a step-by step guide and a handy video showing how our experts do it.

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Chris Webb Leave a comment

Five reasons why cars break down (and how to avoid them)

It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but unfortunately, winter’s the peak time for car breakdowns.

Many cars suffer similar issues, which means we know what to expect and can help you do something about it.

Here we look at the top reasons why cars break down and some tips you can follow to keep yours on the road.   

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Adam Love 37 Comments

Do you know how to change a tyre?

Drivers across the UK run into some kind of tyre trouble every 90 seconds – that’s around 40 flat tyres, blowouts, or punctures every hour.

Around 360,000 people were faced with a flat tyre last year, but do you know what to do if it happens to you? According to research by Green Flag, around 40% of drivers said they would have a go at fixing a flat tyre themselves.

If you’re someone who likes rolling their sleeves up but wouldn’t know where to start, we’re here with a guide on how to change a tyre.

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Adam Love 37 Comments

Keep your car battery ticking over

When winter hits, breakdowns get more frequent, and it pays to be prepared. Especially with your battery.

November to January is peak season for breakdowns, and batteries are one of the biggest culprits. Green Flag’s callouts for flat batteries increase 60% in the winter, especially on those dreaded Monday mornings (when cars that have been parked up over the weekend can’t face the commute either).

Getting off to a false start at the beginning of the week is no fun at all, but luckily, we’re here with some tips to keep your battery feeling positive.

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Adam Love 24 Comments

Getting through your MOT

When your MOT comes around you hope that your car passes the test without it costing too much of your hard-earned cash.

You never know if it’s going to sail through with no problems or if there are a load of defects that need patching up before you can get back on the road.

However, there are some things you can do to give your car a better chance of passing its MOT the first time. And thankfully, you’ll find them all right here…

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Adam Love 4 Comments

Don’t miss your MOT

Have you ever been happily driving along when you suddenly get that sinking feeling and realise your MOT has expired?

You won’t be the first person that’s ever happened to, and you certainly won’t be the last.

According to research by Green Flag, almost a quarter of MOTs were carried out late in 2023. That’s 7.6 million vehicle owners risking a fine by driving without a valid MOT.

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Adam Love 3 Comments

Ageing cars fuel a rise in breakdowns

Cars of different ages, makes, and models driving on a busy road.

The number of cars breaking down each year is on the rise, fuelled in part by the increasing average age of vehicles on the road.

Our data shows the average age of cars on British roads has risen by 42% over the past 20 years, from 6.6 years old in 2003 to 9.4 years in 2023.

They say that with age comes wisdom. Well, it can also come with the occasional breakdown…

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Chris Webb 14 Comments

Enjoy a summer break, not a summer breakdown.

Avoid a summer breakdown

As motorists across the country are packing their suitcases, we’re predicting a seven per cent increase in breakdowns during summer. That means around 150,000 callouts for our mechanics to provide support over the summer.

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Chris Webb 38 Comments

Expert advice on how to avoid a car key catastrophe

Taking better care of your car keys can save time, money and plans being cancelled this summer.
Taking better care of your car keys can save you time, money and stress.

Our research reveals that a car key-related callout took place every seven minutes in 2024. According to our data, two-thirds (62 per cent) of car key callouts were a result of drivers locking their keys in the car. A further fifth of callouts were for keys being jammed in the lock or ignition, whilst 12 per cent were a result of lost keys.

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Chris Webb 37 Comments

Expert advice: essential spring car care

person fixing back right tyre of Jeep outside on grass

With wild weather and unpredictable temperatures, spring car care can be tricky. There’s a lot to think about.

Thankfully, we’ve got some expert advice to help you out.

Here, our Technical Customer Support Manager, Scott Wilson, explains how best to look after your motor over the next few months.

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Amie Woodyatt 7 Comments

Wacky weather: vehicle care in sunshine and thunderstorms

the photographer's left hand holds a hose with an additional attachment containing soap, spraying a white car parked on a driveway. a road curves around in the background with white houses lining the street and two cars just visible either side of the white car being cleaned.

We know it’s a British stereotype to chat about the weather, but come on. Summer 2023 is already a weird one. After one of the wettest winters on record, the UK is now seeing scorching temperatures, warm thunderstorms, and weather warnings.

When it’s 30 degrees one minute and thunder’s echoing around your house the next, vehicle care can get confusing. Here’s the latest on what to prepare for, and how to prepare.

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Amie Woodyatt 1 Comment

Vehicle insurance or breakdown cover: what covers what

picture showing the back of a line of parked cars

We talk about breakdown cover a lot, it’s our bread and butter. But sometimes it can be confused with vehicle insurance – something you legally need to drive in the UK.

Breakdown cover is a form of insurance for your vehicle. But, it isn’t vehicle insurance. Nice and confusing, we know.

So, to simplify things a bit, let’s break down what vehicle insurance actually is (and how it’s different from breakdown cover).

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Amie Woodyatt Leave a comment

EV home charging: get the right charger for your vehicle

EV home charging cable plugged in to back left red light of a matte silver car on a driveway.

As electric vehicles become more popular, EV charging points are popping up in more public places.

But there’s nothing quite like the luxury of having a personal EV charging unit at home.

After the effort of finding the right car, finding the right charging unit shouldn’t be a hassle. That’s why we’ve connected with Rightcharge to help you find the right charger for your vehicle, from the right installer, and all for the right price.

Here’s everything you need to know about EV home charging units.

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Amie Woodyatt Leave a comment

Supporting our customers with EV qualified technicians

EV technician next to a Green Flag van buzz-ing to see a customer, both waving at each other.

The electric vehicle market is growing. Quickly. And with government plans to phase out new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, the charge of the EV is showing no signs of slowing down.

EVs are exciting, but from a breakdown recovery perspective (one of our favourite perspectives), they are one of the biggest challenges in our industry right now.

Luckily, we like a challenge. That’s why we’re proud to announce that at the end of 2022, more of our technicians became Institute of the Motor Industry Level 3 and 4 qualified to work on EVs.

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Amie Woodyatt Leave a comment