Dead on the motorway?
Put the hazard lights on if they still work, and get everyone out on the side away from the traffic, behind the barrier if there's one. Call roadside assistance if you have it. If anyone is hurt or in danger, call 000.
Why batteries give out here
Gold Coast summers are hot and humid, and RACV says hot weather weakens battery performance. A battery that scraped through the mild winter can be the one that won't turn the engine over in February.
Short hops finish the job. RACV says trips under 20 minutes don't give the alternator enough time to recharge, and a run from the unit to the beach and back is often shorter than that.
Newer cars ask more of the battery too. RACQ says stop-start adds stress, and keyless entry keeps drawing power while the car stays awake searching for its key, so lock it even in the garage.
Where Gold Coast batteries tend to go flat
The car left behind
A car left at home, or in the airport car park at Coolangatta, for a fortnight away can come back flat. RACT says cars left unused, or used mostly for short trips, will likely see the battery fail sooner.
Boat and caravan wiring
RACT names trailer brake controllers, dash cams and reverse cameras among the accessories that can drain a battery while the car's parked. If the car tows, tell the mechanic what's wired in.
Beach car parks in summer
A day parked in full sun is heat at its worst for a battery. RACV's advice is shade or a garage wherever you can find one.
Unit basements
A flat battery underground needs a mechanic with room to work beside the car and a van that clears the entry. Check the height limit and access before they come.
Battery or alternator?
Slow cranking and fading dash lights can also mean a failing alternator, RAC WA says, and a multimeter test tells the two apart. If the battery warning light came on while you were driving, RACV says that points to the charging system, and it needs checking straight away.
What a proper battery replacement includes
- Test results for the battery and the charging system, before and after.
- The right type for the car: RAC WA says AGM batteries suit stop-start and hybrid cars.
- A cold cranking amps (CCA) rating equal to or above the original, with the same size and terminal layout.
- Any reset the car needs after fitting, sometimes called battery registration.
- The old battery taken for recycling, not left in the shed.
What we'd do
We'd test before buying anything. Past about three years, NRMA suggests testing once or twice a year, and on the Gold Coast we'd make one of those tests just before summer rather than wait to be stranded in a beach car park.