Battery Replacement

Does your car struggle to start on a cold morning? Does your battery keep dying every so often due to a drain? Is the red battery light illuminated whilst driving the vehicle? This is all a sign that there may be an issue with the battery and charging system on your vehicle.

The battery and charging system on your vehicle is very important to correct the running of the vehicle as most things on the vehicle are powered by the electrical system.

How does a car battery charge?

A car battery is charged up using the alternator. The alternator has a pulley on it and is belt-driven by the engine. When the alternator spins with the electromagnets inside this creates an AC voltage which is then converted inside the alternator to a DC voltage, and provides all the current to run electrical items such as the lights, windows, wipers etc.

This is why when your alternator begins to fail you may notice that your lights have started to dim and other electrical items may not work as they should. When an alternator completely fails this will typically take all the life out of the battery and then make the car undriveable.

The alternator is also designed to maintain the charge state of the battery and keep it from running low. To do this the alternator must overcome the high resistance of the battery by outputting a bigger charge than the battery which roughly ranges from 13.8-15V on some systems. The alternator can also overcharge the battery too if not working correctly.

This is why it is so important that the charging system is working optimally, to keep the battery at optimal levels. If only driving short distances then this could deplete the battery as it wont have enough time to charge up before you stop again.

Has your battery died?

Call our Garage near Leighton Buzzard for a FREE quote

01296 688256

How many years do car batterys last?

The average lifespan of a battery can be anywhere from 3+ years depending on what battery has been equipped on the vehicle. Typically OE quality batteries will last longer and are less likely to fail within the warranty period. We have also seen some original batteries last up to 10+ years!

Even when batteries are not exposed to extreme heat or coldness they will still break down eventually. The hot and cold weather can affect the battery in different ways causing premature failure on your vehicle.

Another factor affecting battery life is how often the car is used. If the vehicle sits for prolonged periods without moving at all then this will likely cause the battery to fail prematurely. This is because as the cells charge decreases there is more chance of the cells becoming damaged.

Even if a vehicle isn't being used, if it is turned on and running for a few minutes or left on a small trickle charger whilst not being used will help to lengthen the battery life.

Benifit of professional battery replacement

Although on most cars this is quite a simple task the battery should not be replaced without checking for other faults within the car. Sometimes an old battery can be the only cause for failure in which case only a battery replacement would be required to fix the problem. However most the time this is not the case and there is another underlying problem.

When replacing batteries we will test thoroughly to make sure that the charging system is operating correctly and that there is no drain on your battery system causing it to fail.

This is very important to check when replacing the battery as if there is another issue that goes unresolved then this could shorten the lifespan of the new battery significantly as batteries that aren't charging will fail pretty soon after replacement. A drain is typically quite significant if the vehicle is not used often then this will effect it more so needs to be resolved before battery replacement.

Has your battery died?

Call our Garage near Leighton Buzzard for a FREE quote

01296 688256

Frequently asked questions

Why is the battery and charging system so important?

Modern cars have become increasingly more reliable on electrics compared to older vehicles and a dead battery is now one of the most common reasons for breakdowns in the uk.

The car battery acts as a reserve for power to supply enough current to start the vehicle when the key is switched on. This supplies the energy for the starter motor to get the engine spinning. This is why it is important to make sure that the battery is kept as close to a full state of charge as possible to make sure your car starts when needed.

The alternator is what provides most of the electrical current needed to run all of the components as the car runs it will provide charge to the battery while also supplying the rest of the vehicle's electrical needs. The alternator must be charging the battery at the correct voltage because if the vehicle has to run off the battery it will die very quickly.

Why should a battery be kept well maintained?

By keeping care of your battery it will prolong its life. Whatever battery you have on your car it should be kept at a high enough charge level to extend the life and prolong the time before it needs replacing.

One way to prolong the life of your battery is by limiting the number of short journeys that you do. Short journeys do not allow for the alternator to fully recharge the battery so this means after every journey the state of charge on the battery will be slightly lower

Another way is to make sure that all lights are switched off before leaving the car. It is also a good idea not to have electrics running when the car is not running or try to limit this as much as possible so it doesn't drain the battery.

Will my car battery die if not driven?

If the vehicle is either stored away during the winter or is sorned then it is best to either run the car every so often to keep the battery voltage at a high enough level or charge up the battery when needed to keep it going.

If the battery discharges then it can freeze in the cold winter months and keeping the battery fully charged helps prevent this. short journeys during the winter put a lot of strain on the battery and if the car is not run for long enough to charge the battery back up then this could lead to it prematurely dying.

If the car is not being used regularly and is left in a garage or on a driveway the best thing to do is to invest in a small trickle charger. This will very slowly supply charge to the battery just to keep it charged up while the vehicle is not being used for a prolonged period.

What type of batterys can you replace?

We do battery replacement on all different cars including batteries for cars with a start/stop system. Batteries fail for many different reasons so it is best to find why it has happened before replacing the battery.

Before replacing a battery we will test to check the charging system is working correctly and that it isn't undercharging or overcharging the battery and we will also make sure there is nothing within the system draining the battery.

Will my electrical system need to be reset after a battery replacement?

This largely depends on what car you have and how new the system is. Most cars at the minimum will need the radio code re-entering into the system but some cars will also need the new battery to be coded into the car to prevent the car from overcharging the new battery. If other items are lost during the battery change then some sensors may also need to be recalibrated. This is another benifit of having a professional change your battery.

Where is my car battery?

Most times the battery on a vehice is located within the engine bay. Nowadays a lot of modern vehicles will put the battery located somewhere in the boot. This is very common on brands such as bmw and mercedes.