| If your car's engine doesn't turn over, or does so | | | | depending on their cycle of charging and discharging, |
| slowly, it's likely that the battery is dead. If the cause | | | | and also on maintenance. Doing mainly short journeys, |
| of the flat battery is that you forgot to switch off | | | | the battery will spend the majority of its time at less |
| the headlights, it's simply a matter of connecting a | | | | than fully charged, and this can have the effect that |
| car battery charger to recharge the dead battery. | | | | the battery doesn't last for the same amount of |
| It's more problematic if you have no obvious reason | | | | time as one doing long trips and getting charged |
| for the battery being flat. | | | | completely. |
| Frequently, the reason for a dead battery with no | | | | Using a multimeter set on voltage measurement it's |
| obvious cause is either the battery is faulty or that it | | | | possible to test the battery's voltage. Attach the |
| is not getting charged by means of the alternator. It | | | | red-coloured multimeter test lead to the positive |
| may be that the alternator has a fault, or it may be | | | | terminal of the battery and then attach the black |
| that the belt driving the alternator is slipping. | | | | test lead to the negative terminal of the car battery. |
| A simple way to check that the alternator is charging | | | | When the engine is off, voltage is usually around |
| the car battery is starting the engine and switching | | | | 12.5-12.8 volts. After starting the engine, at idle speed |
| on the headlights (This works best if it's a least a | | | | the voltage should be around 13.6-14.3 volts. If the |
| little dark outside). With the engine ticking over at | | | | voltage fails to increase, it could mean that the |
| normal tickover revs, observe the point (wall, etc.) on | | | | alternator is faulty. |
| which the headlights are shining. When the alternator | | | | Starting problems can also occur as a result of loose |
| is sucessfully charging the battery, the lights get a | | | | battery terminal connections. Make sure that the |
| little brighter when pressing the accelerator and | | | | connectors are tightly attached to the battery's |
| increasing the revs. If the headlight brightness fails to | | | | terminals. Another reason for starting issues is |
| change, it's probable that the alternator is not actually | | | | corrosion getting between the battery connectors |
| charging the battery. | | | | and the battery terminals. If corroded, they will have |
| Another reason for the battery being dead is that it | | | | to be removed and cleaned (Make sure the engine is |
| has reached the end of its useful life. Batteries | | | | off before disconnecting the battery connections). |
| normally last for approximately three to five years, | | | | |