How to avoid a flat car battery

One of the hardest things to wake up to is a flat battery. It seems to always happen when you are late for work or an important meeting. There could be several reasons why your battery goes flat overnight and unfortunately car insurance does not cover you for mechanical issues. So, what can you do to prevent this? It’s good to educate yourself on ways to avoid this situation in the future. Here are some of the ways you can avoid a flat car battery.

Check the battery

It is good practice to check the overall condition of your battery every few months. All you have to do is lift your bonnet and do a visual inspection of the battery to ensure it is not damaged in any way. Look out for any unusual cracks and bulges around the battery. Another thing to look out for is, corrosion around the terminals as this indicates a faulty battery. One other important thing to look out for is leaks. If there are any leaks, make sure you get a professional to deal with them immediately as it could be dangerous.

Warning lights

When you are driving your vehicle, it’s important to note down if you ever see the battery warning light. Take it to your local garage to see why the light has come up on your dash. In most cases, the battery light on the dash means the alternator is not charging the battery properly. This will drain out your battery very quickly and leave you stranded. So, it’s important to sort out this problem as soon as possible because your motor cover will not bail you out in this situation.

Switch off everything

This is probably the most common way people end up with a flat battery. Leaving something on in the car and leaving it overnight can drain a battery quickly. Whenever you leave your car, have a small checklist to ensure you do everything in your power to avoid a flat battery. Avoid leaving anything plugged into your 12V socket as this could slowly drain your battery. Check that you don’t leave the headlights or inner lights on as they will definitely kill your battery in a few hours. Interior lights are the silent killers, so make sure you look back at your car to ensure the interior light turns off once you leave.

Take random long journeys

If you are a short-distance driver, this could have a strain on your battery. Understandably, someone who works close to their home will only do short journeys throughout the year. In the long term, you could be putting extra strain on your battery if you do not take your car on a long journey occasionally. Short journeys do not give your alternator enough time to charge up your battery properly, so give your battery a chance to survive and take your car for a little road trip every other day.

Looking for the right motor cover? You can check out the Autoclassic motor insurance, that gives you all the necessary coverage to drive your car confidently.