Public Servant Lifestyle

Make sure you check your battery, before problems occur.

Now is the time to take steps to avoid becoming yet another statistic on the RAC's annual list of the 10 most common breakdown faults.

Thanks to new technology, such as calcium silver, modern batteries provide much better cold starting performance and longer service life than ever before, in spite of the far greater amount of electronic and current consuming equipment found in today's cars. Yet RAC statistics for last year once again reveal the same old story - over three times as many call outs (369,000 - 15%) were due to battery problems than any other car problem. The next most common motoring nightmare - punctured tyres necessitating a wheel change - trailed in with 120,000 call outs.

With service intervals extended to 10,000, or even 20,000 miles, many owners now use their cars all year round without any attention to the battery and then expect faultless starting in winter.

There are a few simple steps, from Varta batteries, that you can take to maximise the performance of your battery:

If your car is already displaying worrying symptoms such as sluggish cold starting, the only solution may be to bite the bullet and replace the battery

Using lead-calcium-silver alloy construction batteries can give up to 20% longer service life than conventional lead acid batteries

Have the battery checked over before the onset of winter, particularly if it is more than four years old

Above all, it is important to keep the battery clean. Dirty or moist surfaces may result in small but continuous leakage currents flowing from one terminal to the other. Over a period of time, this can significantly reduce the battery's cold starting capability

Contact terminals should also be kept clean, dry and lightly greased to protect against corrosion. Although many car batteries are now protected by a fabric cover, condensation can still creep in. Terminal lead clamps should fit tightly and securely

Defective dashboard switches for seemingly low current consumers like the glove compartment light or rear wash/wipe should be rectified before they drain the battery

Plus, the condition and correct tension of the V-belt connecting the engine to the alternator should be checked to prevent any slippage

In the case of older batteries fitted with vent plugs, the water level in each cell should be checked frequently and topped up if necessary with distilled water available from filling stations or motoring accessory shops to keep the battery in peak condition.

More information available in Maintenance