Symptoms drivers describe
- Cranking noticeably slower than it used to be
- Headlights dimming at idle and brightening when revved
- Needing a jump start after a few days standing
- Stop-start no longer working
- Swollen battery casing or corrosion on the terminals
Possible causes
- Normal ageing, accelerated by heat, cold and short journeys
- Repeated deep discharges damaging the plates
- Undercharging from a weak alternator
- A drain flattening it while parked
- Vibration damage from loose mounting
What you can do
- Have it tested rather than guessing on age alone
- Tell us if the car has stop-start, which needs a specific battery type
- Ask for the charging system to be checked at the same time
How we check it in the workshop
We test the battery under load, confirm charging voltage and check for a parasitic drain, then fit the correct specification and register it where the vehicle requires that.
Is it safe to keep driving?
Plan it in. A tested-weak battery is far cheaper to replace on your terms than at the roadside.