When we arrived back from our Honeymoon, I jumped in my car. To my surprise, it didn’t start! What in hell was wrong with my car? This is typical, especially after the stunning 3 weeks I’ve had!
I called my good old daddo ( the mechanic) and he swiftly told me it would be the battery.
Apparently after leaving it for 3 weeks idle, the battery had lost charge.
Who knew? I certainly didn’t! I mean I knew you should keep your car running and not leave it for weeks on end, but I never knew a battery could lose charge, and in fact can be re-charged! There after, I started to look into what to check and keep an eye out for when it comes my car battery.
Car Batteries are something we tend to neglect. It’s pretty easy to forget we even have and rely on them, since general checks, services and MOT’s barely comment on a car battery. Yet when they’re not working properly, or in fact fail, we every quickly remember the integral part they play in the running of your vehicle. The idea of my battery going ka-put in a congested area suddenly terrifies me. Places like Hertfordshire, where congestion is high, is the worst place to have a car problem, let alone a battery one. So here is some vital things to know when it comes to your car battery, and how you can look out for wear and tear.
Vital things to know
- One of the main reasons a car battery will die is because of short trips. This is because the generator isn’t running long enough to fully charge the battery. Consider a float charger or battery maintainer if you only use your vehicle for short drives.
- Leaving lights on overnight or something plugged in all day may only require a jump start at first, but can cause long-term damage to your battery. These long periods of battery use can result in the battery never full recovering from discharge.
- Batteries typically last between 5- 7 years depending on the climate, use and care. You can get yours tested, which is highly advisable before winter, as the cold can kill a weak battery. If your battery dies suddenly, you could be in a tricky situation, especially in the Hertfordshire congestion. So no matter where you are in Hertfordshire (Abbots Langley, Cherry Green or Baldock) there are local places like DAT tyres where you can get car battery repair in Baldock.
- A failing car battery comes with a couple of warning signs. These include : dimming headlights, strange noises from air con or even slow engine cranking.
Charlotte’s Top Tip : Don’t keep it idle.
Yup, keep it going. If it’s sitting stationery for a long time ( like a holiday ), maybe give a relative the keys so they can just start it up now and again. If you’re battery does lose charge, it’s not hard nor expensive to fix. Just a set of jump leads and some long distance driving. This can re-charge the battery enough to not need jump leads again.
I certainly am not a car lover, especially when things go wrong, however, it’s good to know the ins and outs of your car, so you know when it’s time to panic, and not!
