Battery failures are the main cause of breakdowns in Spain, which have increased by 17% compared to 2021. In the middle of winter, with humidity and low temperatures, they are common
calls to help desks because the car won’t start. They are battery failures, especially if it has lasted for several years, and that we normally attribute to these weather conditions deteriorating it. But in reality it is not so, because although the disturbances occur in the winter, it is in the summer that it has deteriorated the most.
After the extreme and prolonged heat waves of last summer and the low temperatures of the past few weeks, the batteries may fail this winter
more than previous years. Even in normal years, failing 12-volt batteries are responsible for almost half of all vehicle breakdowns, and this applies to internal combustion engines as well as modern electric cars.
Despite the mild winters of recent times, low battery voltage is one of the main causes of car breakdowns, largely because of this
comes from a standstill which has been created as a result of the quarantines and telecommuting, which has caused the batteries to lose voltage and stop charging. The low temperatures recorded this winter also directly affect the batteries and cause malfunctions.
are added to this
the very hot days of this summer, which wear out batteries: High temperatures cause the battery to self-discharge, causing it to age more quickly. This situation has already taken its toll on batteries this year. Cold weather also affects performance and starting the engine puts more strain on the battery, all of which will be too much for older or poorer batteries. A single frosty night is enough for the engine not to start. Even in the extremely warm winters of recent years, more than 50 days of frost have been recorded on average in Europe.
This is a critical situation as 2022 was a record year in breakdowns of Spanish vehicles with 1,347,707 assistances, a figure that has increased by 17% compared to 2021, according to the Royal Automobile Club of Spain (RACE). The issues related to
the batteries occupy the first position in number of car incidents on Spanish territory. According to AEMET, this summer Spain recorded the worst heat wave since the series began in 1961, with temperatures exceeding 44 °C, for example in some Andalusian cities. In the case of Portugal, temperatures of up to 45 °C were reached.
“The car’s battery ages due to the heat in the summer and deteriorates in the winter,” he warns
Robert Beesmans, an expert in batteries from Clarios company, manufacturer of VARTA batteries. “That’s why drivers should plan to have their vehicle’s battery checked annually at their trusted workshop.”
To choose the right battery for our vehicle, we should keep in mind that there are two types of car batteries. The first with maintenance, which are sold less and less because they have to be filled with distilled water. and the second
that require no maintenancemade of cadmium alloy, silver or gel.
When choosing a new battery for our car, we must take into account its capacity: look at the manual of the car and choose the one with the highest capacity, 72 Ah (amps) and 540 A charging reserve. up to two years warranty, there are even stores that offer three. Another aspect to take into account is the “start reserve”, which should not be less than 300A.
To make car batteries last longer, you can unplug the car if you are not going to use it for a long time. It’s a way to prevent it from downloading. The only drawback is that it decodes the stereo. It will also be necessary to set the clock on time and remember the opening and closing of windows or
connect computer to configure the battery and notify the system that we have replaced it. Another thing that can be done is to coat the terminals with petroleum jelly and clean them with cola or hot water with bicarbonate of soda.
Source: La Verdad
I am Mary Fitzgerald, a professional journalist and author of the Today Times Live. My specialty is in writing and reporting on technology-related topics. I have spent the last seven years extensively researching and understanding the field of technology so I can properly inform my readers about developments in this ever-evolving world.
