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.
Each battery has a lifespan
If your battery is four or five years old, it could be reaching the end of its life, so it’s worth getting it checked as it starts to age. Most battery checks also test the starting and charging system, which is essential for keeping you moving.
Keep corrosion at bay
Check your clamps and cables regularly for signs of corrosion and clean it off with a wire brush. Corrosion restricts the flow of current and makes the battery work harder than it needs to.
Take the strain off your battery
When your car resembles a chest freezer in winter, it’s tempting to jump in and whack the heating up to full. That can put a strain on your battery, especially if you put the heated seats on and try charging your phone as well. It’s best to let the alternator charge your battery for a bit before you turn everything on.
Get a trickle charger
If you don’t drive regularly or only travel short distances in your car, consider getting a trickle charger. They stop car batteries from losing enough charge to keep going, which can happen when you don’t drive very often.
Switch off
Remember to turn off all electrical loads when you kill the engine. Things like wipers, lights, and the radio can drain your battery if you leave them on, which could be a problem next time you try to start the car.
Katie Lomas, Managing Director at Green Flag, said: “Winter puts all sorts of strain on our cars and the last thing you need on a cold, frosty morning is a car that won’t start.
“A battery that was working fine over the summer can quickly start causing problems when the temperature starts dropping. It is a good idea to get it checked and possibly replaced, particularly if it’s over four years old.”
If your battery has a shocker this winter, we’re always here to help.
The reminder that battery callouts spike 60% in winter, especially on Monday mornings, makes a strong case for preventative checks on any battery that’s over four years old.
Why not 3 years and 10 months?
Tip for battery care turn off the automatic restart system so damaging to batteries especially in city commutes. We managed for decades without it. There is no benefit from the small amount of petrol saved when a new battery costs £400. The heavy duty batteries needed for this system cost twice as much as those for cars without this system. If I knew how I would permanently turn it off so that I do not have to keep remembering to turn it off manually.
The easiest thing to do is buy a battery monitor, I have one that connects across the battery terminals, it is wireless and the display is in my living room, just give the display a tap and get a instant reading of the SOC and SOH and battery voltage, they are available at most major web sites and not that expensive.
Excellent advice will get the battery checked.
Would that be by someone with no vested interest in the conclusion?
Hi can a low battery affect the power steering on peugout 207
Great advise. Thanks
Great advice especially about turning off the radio and lights – I usually have my lights turned to ‘auto’ – not any more!
Thanks for the helpful information.
Best WIshes to the Green Flag Team
Battery lasts unto 4 years. Perhaps longer (like folks) if well looked after….
Looking at Trickle Solar charges on Amazon I see a page full with various shady comments and some high prices , One AA recommended ? Better if battery so aged to put money towards a new battery and record data in online calendar. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Thank you for your very helpful information. I didn’t realise that after four years it could pack in. I imagined it would last a lot longer.
That’s a guideline though, averaged out. My car’s battery lasted nine years, which was phenomenal. Main thing is doing the longer runs every week. I do a 30 mile round trip once a week and two other 12 mile trips weekly plus the short local runs.
If your car has a Glass Matted battery, due the vehicle having stop / start i have found the battery only lasts 3 years and needs replacing.
I bought a trickle charger 2 years ago and leave it on overnight 3 or 4 times between November and January – even if it appears to work well – preventive maintenance is best.
Good point regarding turning all electrics off (radio etc.) before you turn the engine off as they can drain the battery. I had no idea that this was the case.
Very useful infomation