Car Batteries

Batteries fail faster in this climate

Heat is harder on a battery than cold. Sustained high under-bonnet temperatures accelerate the internal corrosion that ends a battery’s life, which is why a unit rated for five years in Europe often gives two to three here. A battery that starts the car fine in December can fail without warning in July.

If yours is more than two years old and cranking slowly, it is worth testing before it strands you.

Getting the type right

AGM — Absorbent Glass Mat

Required on most vehicles with stop-start and regenerative braking. Handles deep cycling and high electrical loads. If your car left the factory with AGM, it must be replaced with AGM — fitting a conventional battery will shorten its life sharply and can upset the charging system.

EFB — Enhanced Flooded Battery

Fitted to entry-level stop-start systems. More cycle-resistant than a conventional battery, less costly than AGM. Suitable as an upgrade from conventional, but not as a substitute for AGM.

Conventional flooded

Correct for older vehicles without stop-start. Still the right answer for a great many cars on the road here.

Battery registration — the step most people miss

On most European vehicles built in the last fifteen years, a new battery must be registered or coded to the car’s energy management system. Skip it and the vehicle keeps charging to the old battery’s profile, which can shorten the life of the new one considerably. We will tell you whether your car needs it.

What we need from you

• Vehicle make, model and year
• Chassis or VIN number, so we can confirm the exact size and terminal layout
• A photo of the existing battery label, if you have one to hand

Send it on WhatsApp and we will confirm the correct battery, price and availability.