What Newcastle weather and driving do to a battery
Summer heat
Newcastle's summer days can pass 40 degrees, and Nobbys Head once recorded 42.5. The NRMA says extreme heat can shorten a battery's life, and RACV's tip for hot days is shade or a garage where you can find one.
Salt and damp by the coast
The city is humid, and if the car lives near the surf at Merewether, Bar Beach or Stockton, the terminals are worth watching. A blue or greenish crust on them is one of the NRMA's warning signs.
Short hops and long stays
RACV says trips under 20 minutes don't give the alternator time to put the charge back. A car that only crosses town, or waits at Williamtown while you're away, is the one most likely to be flat on the morning you need it.
Battery, or something else?
Slow cranking and fading dash lights can also come from a failing alternator, RAC WA points out, and a simple test tells the two apart. A good mechanic tests the battery and the charging system before fitting a new one, which matters most when the old battery wasn't that old.
Newer cars add a step. Many need an AGM battery to cope with stop-start, and some need a new battery registered to the car's computer. RACT warns that the wrong type can cause a no-start even when it's fully charged, so the replacement has to match what the maker specifies.
What you can do, and what to leave to the mechanic
You can
- Find the battery's age: there's often a date on the label.
- Look for crusty build-up on the terminals, without touching it.
- Lock the car, even in the garage. RACQ says a keyless car left open stays awake searching for its key.
- Get the battery tested before a long drive; the NRMA suggests a check once or twice a year after three years.
Leave to the mechanic
- Load-testing the battery and checking the alternator's output.
- Fitting a battery with the right size, terminals and cold cranking rating.
- Registering the new battery where the car needs it.
- Jump-starting a modern car, which the NRMA calls a high-risk job for its electronics.
What we'd do
If the battery is past three years and the car turns over slowly, we'd have it tested before summer instead of waiting for it to die in a beach car park. We'd also ask for the charging system to be checked at the same time, so a new battery isn't covering for a tired alternator.