How to prevent a flat car battery

Having battery issues or are looking at ways to prevent a flat battery? You've come to the right place! We all hate it when you can’t start your car and it’s always in those crucial moments when you need to get somewhere fast. Most of the time it’s when you are late for work. That extra 5 minutes turns into half an hour. We've all been there... we won't tell, so let’s give you the knowledge to prevent a flat battery so you can get to that destination without battling with your car.

The battery is one of the most important parts of your car as it powers all of your electrics and without it, your car wouldn’t be able to start. If you’re having issues with the electrics in your car or it won’t start, this might be a sign of a weak car battery which can cause damage to your engine. It’s better if you check on the battery from time to time.

This is especially important during the winter months as the weather causes more stress on the battery than usual. Here are a few tips on how to maintain a healthy car battery and avoid a flat battery.

Check you cars battery condtition
Recharge the battery
Service your car
A trickle charger
Keep jump leads in your car

Check the condition of the battery.

Firstly, you need to check the condition of the battery to make sure you don’t need a new one. You can do this by lifting the bonnet and checking if there is any corrosion building up around the battery. If so, this needs to be cleaned right as it can prevent the battery from running properly.

You should check your battery around twice a year or around 6,000 miles which you can do yourself or you can bring to your local Chorley Group dealership where we’ll do a thorough inspection to ensure that all the connections are secure, and you have a healthy battery.

Car batteries have expiry dates, kind of like the food you eat, but you can’t eat a battery. Once the guaranteed expiry date runs out, it’s a good idea to replace the battery to make sure your car is running optimally and increase safety while driving.

Recharge the battery.

If you’re having problems with the battery, you might need to take your car for a long drive. As you drive, the battery recharges overtime which if you’re doing short journeys all the time then the battery may undercharge. We recommend that you drive your vehicle for a long period of time, around 30 minutes, which will allow plenty of time for the battery to get back to full charge.

Service your car

A poorly maintained car will cause extra stress on the battery which means if you regularly get your car serviced then your battery will have a better chance at keeping its health.

A trickle charger

A trickle charger is a great tool to preserve your batteries’ health if your car is old or you haven’t used it in a long time. This tool maintains the batteries performance which will help to minimise any issues that are related to your battery.

The final tip we would suggest is, keep a set of jump leads in your car just in case of an emergency and follow your vehicle's manual to jump-start your vehicle.

Book an appointment at your local Chorley Group branch to check your batteries health to make sure you are safe on the roads.