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Battery neglect strands one-in-five motorists annually
publication date: Mar 12, 2011
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author/source: Robin Roberts
Millions of motorists are taking years off the life expectancy of their car's battery by not regularly fully charging it, says the AA, which not only costs money but also risks the inconvenience of a breakdown. Every year, up to a fifth of cars on the road will require a new battery, estimates the AA, but many of these could have been prevented by being fully charged more frequently. The problem stems from batteries taking longer to fully charge, while being placed under greater demand by modern cars, which are being fitted with an ever increasing range of power-hungry ‘creature comforts'. Paul Leather, AA patrol of the year, says, "It takes a lot longer to fully charge a modern car battery than many people realise - typically 240 miles of driving with no load or eight hours of continuous driving - which can unfortunately lead to problems. "If you only make short stop-start journeys, the battery won't have the chance to fully charge, which will considerably shorten its life. We see cases where the battery has failed after only two to three years rather than the usual five to six, as a result of only doing short journeys. "At the same time, although battery technology has improved, they are made to work harder than ever before, as a modern car draws around three times as much electrical current than a 1970s Morris Minor. The days of cars being fitted with wind-up windows are long gone and most new cars come with an assortment of electrical driver aids. "This demand on the battery is why they're still our most common call-out after more than 100 years, accounting for around one in seven breakdowns." To help prevent problems, Paul says: "Regular long runs in the car could double your battery's life but if this isn't possible, a battery trickle charger will keep it in good condition, extend its life and give you the reassurance that your car will start. "There are other simple steps that drivers should habitually take to extend battery life, particularly in cold weather. When you park up and when you start the car, make sure everything electrical is turned off, and dip the clutch when starting to help take some load off the starter motor and, in turn, the battery. "However, if your car struggles to start and your battery is more than five years old, it's on borrowed time, so get it replaced. It's better to be done at your convenience than as a roadside emergency." Last year, the UK's biggest breakdown organisation attended around half a million battery-related breakdowns and replaced around 140,000 batteries - up from around 126,000 in 2009 - and it changed 24,000 in December alone, as the cold weather bit.   |
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