Don’t get caught out with a flat battery this winter, get it tested now with The Free Yuasa Vehicle Battery Check. Battery related faults are the number one cause of vehicle breakdowns, with modern vehicles being so reliant on electronics, more than ever before.
The battery is like the heart of the vehicle, it’s what keeps everything working and running healthy. It is very important to take good care of your battery, especially in the cold temperatures.
The last thing you want when travelling to work on a cold, wet and windy morning is to be stuck by the side of the road when your car won’t start because the battery has died! It’s going to take a while for the breakdown service to get to you so you are going to be late for that very important meeting.
With the launch of Yuasa’s Always Check The Battery programme, you don’t have to be a victim of an unexpected breakdown this winter. Your local participating workshop is now offering a free battery check when you take your car for a service or an MOT, just look for the Yuasa logo. If your car is more than 3 years old, visit your local workshop and ask for your Yuasa Battery Check to make sure your battery is in good shape.
Peter Whittaker, Technical Services Manager at GS Yuasa said, “Yuasa are the world’s leading battery manufacturer and the UK’s automotive and motorcycle market leader, we are a well-known and trusted brand. Our tester kit has been specially designed, so customers can be sure that we guarantee reliable and accurate results.
“A vehicle’s battery is rarely checked by workshops unless a problem is reported, so its health is unknown to the driver or the technician. There may be no obvious signs, but if it is heavily discharged or defective it is likely to fail when the weather gets colder.”
Here are the most common causes for battery failures:
Like brake pads and tyres, a battery is a consumable item and it’s performance will deteriorate over time. During the cold winter months, a much higher electrical demand is put on than the battery to start a vehicle. So a battery that is nearing the end of it’s service life may start the vehicle without any problems during the warmer summer months but will fail as soon as the temperature begins to drop. Other causes of battery failure include:
1. Infrequent use of vehicle
Short start-stop journeys do not sufficiently charge the battery. Over time this can damage the battery and lead to premature failure.
2. Extreme temperatures
The efficiency of the chemical reaction used to supply the electrical energy to start the engine is reduced by approximately 30% at 0°C and below and by greater levels as the temperature falls further. Therefore, even a brand new battery will supply 30% less power on a cold winter morning.
3. Leaving the lights on
The most common mistake and one of the main reasons batteries fail prematurely.
4. Using accessories whilst your vehicle is not running
Modern vehicles are laden with accessories including entertainment and navigation systems. If these are used without the car running they will drain the battery’s power significantly as the battery will not be being charged up.
5. Poor maintenance
The battery could look good on the outside and have a good state of charge, but often the battery’s state of health is unknown if it has not been tested.
Why you should consider getting your battery checked:
• To prevent unexpected and unnecessary breakdowns
Battery failure is the number one cause of breakdowns in the UK. By getting your battery checked regularly you are reducing the risk of battery related breakdowns and being stranded when your vehicle will not start.
• Your battery deserves love and attention
In the cold conditions and dark nights your battery is under enormous pressure to power electronics such as your headlights, windscreen wipers and heated screens. It also has the very important responsibility of starting your vehicle to get you where you need to go every day. Reward it by getting it tested.
• If your car is more than 3 years old
A battery that has been in service for 3 years or more will have encountered a degree of deterioration through normal usage which will have reduced its overall state of health and its ability to start the engine.
• It’s free!
With the Yuasa Always Check The Battery scheme, your local participating workshops offer a free check to test your battery when you take your car in for an MOT or service. It only takes 5 minutes and could save you a lot of time and money by preventing a non-start situation.
For more information about The Yuasa Battery Check click here
