Winter Battery Care

Keeping your battery energised in cold weather.

Feeling sluggish in the morning isn’t just for tired commuters on a work day. Your battery feels the cold, too. A chilly winter morning is when you’re most likely to be left stranded with a flat car battery.

Up to 43% of breakdowns we attend are battery related and during winter those callouts increase. At colder temperatures, a battery’s ability to provide enough power to start and run a vehicle is reduced. Starting an engine can also take up more current than needed under normal conditions. As the battery runs down it quickly reaches the point where it can’t deliver enough current to keep up with the demand.

While we cannot change the temperature, we can prepare and minimise the risk of winter causing motoring headaches.  

Keeping your battery charged
The key to getting the optimum performance out of your lead acid car battery is to keep it “juiced up”(100% state of charge). If the car is not driven daily for a reasonable distance, ensure when you start the car in the morning give it some time before you turn on your heater, radio, wipers, lights etc. When turning the car off at the end of the day, turn off all auxiliary, phone charger, lights, wiper, radio and any load that drains the battery.

Park your car in a garage where possible
If you can, park your car in a garage or under cover to keep it out of the cold. Avoid parking on the lawn as condensation can collect on the engine and ignition parts which can cause current leakage.  

Keep your battery and all connections clean and in a good state of repair
Clean the top of the battery and the terminals with a cloth every so often to prevent dirt build-up, as a bad connection can sap the battery’s power. Keep an eye out for sulfation around the terminals. Check that your mechanic cleans the battery terminals during your car’s servicing to keep the connection in good working order. 

Use a Battery Charger
We recommend regular recharging of your battery with the Smart Charge that can be left connected to your vehicle's battery maintaining a full charge on a healthy battery while the vehicle is not being used.

Warning Signs
Your battery’s age also plays a part in whether you’re more likely to have trouble on a chilly morning. If your battery is more than three years old, a typical sign that it’s failing is your car cranking slowly when you attempt to start it. 

It might be time to consider getting your battery tested and replace it if your car becomes sluggish to start, particularly on cold mornings, rather than risk being stranded. Get AA Battery Service to test your battery and related electrical system to ensure the state of health of your car battery is good and reliable.

Feeling flat?

If you’re unlucky enough to experience a flat battery, AA Battery Service can come to you 24/7 and usually within the hour.