Car battery repairs and replacement services

Over time, your car battery won’t be able to hold charge like it used to and will eventually need to be replaced with a new one. There are a few common symptoms to look out for which suggest your car’s battery is starting to fail.

1. There’s a warning light on the dashboard

It sounds obvious, but because dashboard lights are easy to ignore, it’s important to remember that a new warning about your battery requires attention as soon as possible.

2. You’re struggling to start your car

The most common reason behind a car that struggles to start is a flat battery. Unusual noises when you turn the key and the need to put your foot on the gas more than usual to get it going are both signs that your car is struggling to start. You might be able to jumpstart your car or recharge the battery, but it’s essential to get the battery looked at as soon as possible to figure out the cause of the problem.

3. The electrics in your car aren’t working properly

If your headlights appear dimmer than usual, your radio won’t play, or other electrics in your car don’t seem to be working as they should, it’s a sign that your car battery is failing. You might think you can live without your radio, but if you notice a fault related to your battery, it’s essential to get it looked at quickly; if it dies altogether, you won’t be able to start your car.

If your car won’t start at all, the first culprit to look at is usually your battery. If you’re stuck out on the roads when it happens, you can try jump-starting your car to get it going again.

How to jump start a car

To jump-start a car, you’ll need the help of another vehicle. If you have someone to help you and have access to jump leads, here’s how to do it safely:

• Line up the two vehicles facing each other, turn them both off, and open up the bonnets.

• Put gloves and goggles on to keep yourself safe.

• Connect the red jump lead to the battery’s positive terminal (+) on both cars.

• Connect the black jump lead to the battery’s negative terminal (-) on the car with the working battery.

• Connect the other end of the black jump lead to an earthing point. An earthing point can be any piece of metal on the car that isn’t near the battery.

• Wait five minutes.

• Start the working car’s engine and let it run for one minute.

• Start the car with the dead battery and let both run for ten minutes.

• Turn both cars off.

• Disconnect the black cable, then the red cable. Make sure not to let the cables touch each other or your cars.

• Try restarting your car.

Once you’ve managed to restart your car, you’ll want to get your battery looked at as soon as possible to understand what went wrong. It may be time to book a battery replacement.

Changing your car key battery is a quick fix that can be done at home. You’ll need to have a replacement battery to hand before starting the job. You can get a replacement battery for your car key fob at many auto retailers.

How to change your car key battery:

• Identify what type of car key battery you need from an auto retailer and purchase your replacement.

• Find the notch to open the key fob.

• Use a screwdriver to prise it open gently. 

• Remove the circular battery.

• Place the new battery into the space inside the fob.

• Refit the two pieces of key fob back together.

If you have trouble changing the battery in your car key, you can get a professional at your local garage to help.

Learn more about charging your electric car at home

If you have an electric car, you’ll probably want to know how you can charge it from home, rather than relying on the public charging points.

Luckily, you can get a home charging point installed with financial support from a government grant. The grant covers up to £350 of the cost, and the complete installation will cost you around £500. Once installed, you’ll only need to pay for the electricity you use to charge your vehicle.

Before ordering your home charging point, you’ll need to determine whether you have a type 1 or type 2 connector. The manufacturer’s manual will be able to tell you this.

It’s recommended that you charge your electric car up overnight and top up during the day if needed on long journeys. For one hour of charge, the average point gives 15-30 minutes of energy for driving time.