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Drivers warned of common car battery problem that can cause breakdowns

Car battery problems can cause untold problems but it's an aspect of car health that is often forgotten.

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Keeping an eye on your car battery health is important to avoid being stranded in the middle of nowhere out of the blue. (Image: Halfords)

You get in your car, strap in, turn the key in the ignition, and nothing happens your batterys gone flat. Cue a frantic search for some jump leads and an obliging neighbour, or worse yet a call to and lengthy wait for your breakdown cover provider. Its a real pain when your cars battery unexpectedly gives up the ghost, so its worth kitting yourself out with one thats got the reliability and lifespan to spare you the hassle.

At Halfords, theres a massive range of batteries available at both its retail outlets and garages, with enough sizes and voltages to cover just about every car on the road. All you need is your registration number and Halfords database will find exactly the battery you need, with different options on warranty to boot.

The guarantees run for three, four, or five years, and their top-end batteries even come with lifetime guarantees. Please note that the lifetime refers to the lifetime of your vehicle, it cant be transferred between vehicles, and batteries used in commercial or professional cars e.g. taxis, emergency service vehicles, cars used for driving instruction, etc. are only eligible for a six-month guarantee.

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If youre unsure whether you need a new one, you can get a free battery check at your local Halfords garage. Same-day fitting is available in-store or at a Halfords garage too.

They have a range of batteries available, including Yuasa Lead Acid 12V Car Battery with a 5-year Guarantee currently available for 98.69, the Halfords Lead Acid 12V Car Battery with a 4-Year Guarantee for 86.09, and the Halfords Lead Acid 12V Car Battery with a 3-Year Guarantee for 69.99. Be sure to use the reg checker to make sure youve got the right type before buying, or simply head into a store to have all the tricky bits done for you.

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At Halfords, theres a massive range of batteries available at both its retail outlets and garages.(Image: Halfords )

There are plenty of reasons why a car battery might cough its last unexpectedly, and you can get ahead of the game by being mindful of the following:

1. Leaving your lights on this ones the classic mistake. Always make sure your lights are off when you switch off your engine, as they may continue to run through the night and sap away your batterys juice.
2. Extreme weather both hot and cold temperatures can ruin your battery. Extremely hot weather can cause the liquids in your battery to evaporate and potentially damage the internal plates, wrecking its ability to hold a solid charge. Extremely cold weather instead slows down the reactions going on inside the battery, making recharging difficult and harder for the battery to hold its charge.
3. Excessive loading if you make use of all the electrical components of your car, such as the 12V outlet, this puts additional strain on your battery. You can cover for this by getting a high-end battery, like a Yuasa, which has a higher capacity.
4. Loose or corroded battery terminals with poor connections, your battery wont be able to transfer power properly. Dodgy terminals can be dangerous too, especially by causing sparks. Ensure your terminals are clean and well-connected, but be sure to wait until your car has gone cold before mucking around under the bonnet.
5. Frequent short journeys and stop-start driving your car needs a fair bit of energy to get started, so frequent short journeys are inefficient for battery life. Your alternator needs a relatively long journey to recharge the battery too, so youre missing out on that if youre rarely driving for very long. Try to get out for a long drive now and then to give your alternator the time it needs to charge your battery.
6. A worn alternator an alternator is an essential component that charges your battery as you drive, converting mechanical energy into an electrical charge. If your alternator is wearing out, it will struggle to charge your battery and you may struggle to start the car. Ever hear that high-pitched whistling coming from peoples cars? Its a good chance their alternator belt needs replacing.

The Yuasa batteries stocked at Halfords have a good reputation among motorists, with 4.7 out of 5 stars attached to the Yuasa Lead Acid 12V Car Battery after more than 600 reviews. It seems good, we have had some minus temperatures and it's started within seconds, said one five-star review, referencing the Yuasas resilience against extreme cold.

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Neglecting the health of your car battery can leave you stranded when you least need it. (Image: Halfords)

They had the battery in stock, the fitter checked it was the correct one, and they had it fitted in 10 minutes, said another five-star review from a customer who made use of the in-store fitting service.

One customer found their Yuasa actually did struggle on cold mornings: Not one for the cold. This battery will just not start in the very cold winter mornings and had to jump start it everyday.

Good product and guarantee for reasonable price, said another happy customer.

Other options for batteries and fittings are available at KwikFit and Euro Car Parts. KwikFit's cheapest is 91, whereas the most expensive is 231. Meanwhile, Euro Car Parts has batteries ranging from 42.49 to 162.99.

However, you can check out Halfords' range of batteries here. You can also sign up for the Halfords Motoring Club which will get you a big range of discounts in-store and online.

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