Check your car battery!

[wilburlois15]

Caught me out a few days ago. Car has been sitting on the drive untouched for over 3 weeks thanks to lockdown and no school runs. Was going to drop off a birthday card at the in-laws a few miles away and the car wouldn't start because the battery had gone. Needed replacing so with no call outs and no home cover we had to get it towed to the only open local garage.

After a winter of driving with lights on, windscreen wipers, etc, batteries are low. Not exactly the definition of essential driving but for people like us, who may need their cars to get about, a quick run down a local fast road to charge it up might not be a bad idea.

[jolocny Volunteer]

Thanks for bringing this up! I’d gone out to my van to take my usual ride into volunteer and found I had a dead battery. I’ve had my van for 4 years and never any trouble with the battery and assumed it was just time to change it.

I was surprised to find out that after the conversion was done, they hadn’t changed out the battery that came with the van to a higher voltage ... needed for all of the extra use that the battery would go through. So, upgraded the battery and no trouble again.

I live in central NY on Lake Ontario, so we have a lot to deal with weather wise - snow & ice. That battery did overtime for a few years and then just tired out!

Just a thought in addition to yours, wilburlois15!

[KennyInPA]

Great tip! Even on days after I'm done working from home, I go out and sit in the car with the sunroof open getting all that free Vitamin D. Makes ya feel alive rather than stuck inside all day! And it keeps the battery rolling!

[monkeybus]

I thought "car battery" was going to be a clever metaphor.

There once was a time, I could push-start a car.

[wilburlois15 in reply to monkeybus]

well this is part of the problem. Fortunately I have door locks and hand brake which can be operated manually. The tow guy knew how to force the automatic gear lever to neutral using a skewer. If not, then I suppose it'd still be on the drive uncharged