In this two-part series, we help you determine why your car battery keeps going flat and the ever-important step by step guide to how to jump-start a car.
Flat Battery
You will always seem to get a flat car battery when you’re
- Late for work
- Need to pick someone up
Frustrating as it can be, we wanted to break down (no pun indented) the main factors as to why your battery has gone flat.
Have you ever done this?
The lights in your car will drain the battery if left on while your vehicle is off. Whether it’s your headlights, an interior light from the boot or a door left slightly open. Overnight the car battery drains and, in the morning, you are left with a dead battery. Newer vehicles will come with an annoying but, thankfully helpful warning tone that sounds if you leave your headlights on saving you the hassle of a drained battery.
When is the last time you had your car battery changed?
Make sure you have a well-maintained car, and your battery should be updated when needed by the trusty mechanics at Express Lube. By having an old battery in your car, it will struggle to hold an adequate amount of charge. Some drain is standard as your vehicle works to power the radio pre-sets and security alarm while your car is turned off. A car not starting correctly regularly could signal a bad or old battery.
Technical issues
If you have a faulty alternator, you could find a problem with your car starting or in some causes a battery drain while the car is on. The alternator helps charge things like radio, lights, automatic windows and the air-conditioning. We’ve also seen some cars that suffer from flat batteries from drivers that only take their car out a few times a month or only for short drives. The battery uses the most energy when you first start your car. If you turn it off before the alternator has had a chance to recharge, you could find yourself with a weak or flat battery next time you get in. A loose battery cable or even corrosion could also mean you’ll have problems starting your car.
Car Check
A good way to check if your car’s battery is the problem or if you have a different issue is to turn on your headlights. If they have brightness as normal, it might mean your battery is OK and you will need to have your wiring checked.
The qualified mechanics at Express Lube are here to help. We can diagnose why your battery won’t hold charge or replace your old battery with a new one. With our six stores open Monday through to Saturday, come and see the friendly mechanics at
