Road Safety Blog

What to do if your car’s battery is dead

jonckie

If there is one thing in a car that must work every time you wish to use it, it is the battery. Mainly,  roadside assistance is required because of a dead battery. Read more to find out how to deal with batteries in general.1

What is the lifespan of a battery?1

Batteries die because they only have a certain lifespan, which is usually about 3-4 years.

What are some of the common reasons why batteries die?

Leaving the headlights switched on1

A battery is drained of its power when a car’s headlights, interior lights, or radio are still switched on. Fortunately, many modern cars make a warning sound when switching off the car with the headlights still on. Unfortunately, other vehicles are less fortunate. So always make it a habit to ensure the headlights are switched off after use.

Using the air conditioner incorrectly1

The battery will drain if the air conditioner is left on whilst the car engine is not running.

Not using a car for a while1

Leaving a car parked in your garage for a few weeks may not affect the battery, but going away overseas for a few months will completely drain the battery.  You can prevent this from happening by simply disconnecting the battery before leaving.

What about maintaining your battery?1

Battery terminals can become full of chemical deposits and need to be cleaned from time to time. If it is difficult to get to the battery terminals, it may be best to get help from a battery centre or a garage.

Is the alternator charging the battery?1

While the car is running, an alternator is required to charge the battery. The battery will go flat if the alternator is no longer charging due to a faulty voltage regulator. That is why it is crucial to have the alternator’s output checked when you next buy a battery at the battery centre.

What about cold weather?1

Batteries that are a few years old are likely to be damaged by freezing weather conditions.

What do you do when the battery is dead?1

Usually, the best way to start a car with a dead battery is to jump-start it. Remember never to attempt to jump-start a cracked or leaking battery. All you need is a pair of jumper cables and a car with a good battery next to your vehicle. Just make sure you can jump-start your car because the electronics of some luxury cars are sensitive. In such cases, the vehicle is jump-started from a battery pack.

Because batteries can die anywhere and at any time, it can cause serious problems, especially if your car won’t start in a remote area. Immediate access to roadside assistance and towing services is critical, especially in South Africa, where roads and certain areas are dangerous. The only problem is that to pay privately for your vehicle to be towed can exceptionally expensive, and it’s best to have these services as part of your car cover. PMD offers such services and more, so why not find out more about getting affordable car insurance products with PMD?

Source:

1https://www.its4women.ie/news/what-to-do-when-your-car-battery-dies.aspx

This article was prepared by Eric Sandmann in his personal capacity. The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own. The views and opinions in the article should not be attributed to anyone but the author unless expressly stated. Nothing in this article should be relied upon as advice, this publication is presented for informational purposes only. No person should act or refrain from acting in reliance on any information found in this article, without first obtaining proper financial advice from the appropriate professional. The author makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, or completeness, of any information linked from, referred to, or contained in this article. The author reserves the right, to edit and change the content of this article.

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