If your car’s a little under the weather – whether it won’t start or won’t unlock at all – there’s a good chance you’re looking at a flat car battery. Thankfully, this is not as big of an issue as you might assume, and there are things that you can do get back on the road again in no time!
As always, it pays to have the number of a professional, local garage and service team to hand if you’re dealing with a dead car battery at short notice. Auto Inspire, as always, is ready and on hand to get you back up and running again!
It does, of course, pay to know what to look for when your battery’s run dead. With that in mind, here is a quick guide on how to deal with a flat car battery – no matter your make or model.
If you’re not sure your battery’s at fault at all – but your vehicle simply isn’t responding –
You should first of all check to see that your car does have some fuel in the tank.
If the ignition is blocked, try moving the steering wheel slightly to unlock it. It could be that you have parked too close to a pavement and that the tyres are locked in one position – it’s a common cause of battery worries!
Further to this, if your car won’t unlock with your auto fob or key, then it could be that the batteries inside of the key are dead. Try replacing them first before considering having the battery looked at.
If you have checked all of these issues and are sure that the problem lies with the battery, then let’s take a look at your options.
It’s normally a good idea to call a local expert who can help get your battery back active again – but there are things you can do on your own if you’re in a pinch.
The first option you may wish to take is usually the most obvious one – try jump-starting your car. For that, you will need jumper cables and another vehicle with a fully charged battery.
If this is your first time jump-starting a car, always ask someone for help, as it can be dangerous – you could also ask your local garage to help you out!
The second option is to replace the battery entirely. The battery will definitely need replacing if your car simply won’t start – and this is where you’ll certainly need to get local experts involved. Thankfully, Auto Inspire is never too far away if you’re based in local Chesterfield!
Believe it or not, there are indeed a few things that you can do to help prevent a flat car battery in the first place.
For one thing, simply making sure that your doors are closed properly will make a big difference. In modern cars, when doors are left open, often so too are lights inside – and even outside of the car. These are to help guide in the dark, but when in a well-lit area, it can be difficult to even notice that these lights have been left on.
So, to ensure that you do not run out the battery while the car is not in use, remember to check that all of your doors are shut, including the boot!
That being said, even with all of the doors shut, a light might still have been left on in your car – and that might be running down your battery power. Lights are sometimes easy to miss – but leave them on for long enough, and you may have a dead car battery on your hands. Headlights will also run out the battery on certain cars when left on.
So, to ensure that your battery doesn’t run out while you’re out of the car, check that all of the interior lights are off and that you have turned off the headlights, too.
Leaving the car for too long, or even only taking it out for small journeys where you frequently reignite in small spurts will also dramatically reduce the battery’s life. For smaller distances and journeys, try using other modes of transportation.
That being said, if you have invested in a car, ensure that you get your use out of it! Take it out for longer drives and let the battery have the time that it needs to fully recharge.
On the other hand, if you only need your vehicle for short distances and trips, then it could be worth looking into a simple runaround, rather than a long-distance vehicle.
Unfortunately, most car owners will have to deal with a flat battery at one point or another. It happens to all of us, but it doesn’t have to be a big deal. Many of us carry around jumper cables in case of this very instance, but you can also call your insurance or local garage for assistance immediately.
A good garage will do more than just get you going again on your next journey, too. They will be able to identify battery problems and tell you whether or not it needs replacing, charging, or otherwise. It pays to ask for help!
For this level of dedicated support, you should always contact Auto Inspire. Based in downtown Chesterfield, we’ve helped thousands of customers over the years with a fair share of battery issues!
We guarantee that your vehicle will be dealt with the utmost respect and care – we’re motorists, too! Don’t leave suspected flat car battery problems until the last minute.
When in doubt, come and find us on Chesterfield’s Vanguard Trading Estate (Storforth Lane), call the Auto Inspire directly on 01246 555995, or for more information, email us using our web form – and we’ll be back in touch.