Before you reach for the jumper leads
NRMA calls jump-starting a modern car a high-risk job, because the leads can damage the car's computers. Don't jump a battery that's cracked, swollen or leaking, or that smells of rotten egg. If the car has stopped somewhere unsafe, get everyone away from the traffic, put the hazard lights on and call roadside assistance. If anyone is hurt or in danger, call 000.
Why batteries give up in Toowoomba
Frosty mornings
Toowoomba gets light frost on several nights each winter, more often in the western suburbs, and winter days average a maximum of 17 degrees. RACV says hot or cold weather weakens battery performance, so a battery that was borderline in autumn can fail in the first cold snap.
Summer counts too
Summer maximums here average 28 degrees, and NRMA says extreme heat or cold can shorten a battery's life. RACV suggests parking in shade or a garage in hot weather.
Short hops around town
RACV says trips under 20 minutes don't give the alternator enough time to recharge the battery. If the car mostly does short runs across Toowoomba, give it a longer drive once a week, out along the Warrego Highway towards Oakey, for example.
Tow gear and farm utes
RACT says dash cameras, trailer brake controllers and other aftermarket accessories can cause a slow drain while the car's parked. A ute set up for towing that goes flat after a few days in the shed may have one, and a mechanic can test for it.
Getting the right battery for the car
RACV says a replacement should have the same or higher cold cranking amps (CCA, the current a battery can deliver to start a cold engine), with matching size and terminal positions. On a frosty Toowoomba morning, that CCA rating is the number that earns its keep.
RAC WA says AGM batteries suit stop-start and hybrid cars, and some new batteries need the car's electrical system reset afterwards, which it calls battery registration. RACT warns that the wrong battery technology can cause a no-start even when the battery is fully charged, and that some European cars have a hidden second battery.
Is it the battery or the alternator?
Slow cranking and fading dash lights can point to the alternator as well as the battery, RAC WA says, and a multimeter test tells the two apart. A battery light that comes on while you're driving can point to the charging system rather than the battery, and RACV says to have it checked straight away. Battery light on explains more.
What to ask before the new battery goes in
- Has the old one been tested, and was the charging system checked as well?
- Does the new battery match or beat the CCA my car's maker specifies?
- Is it the right type for this car: AGM for stop-start, or standard?
- Does the car need battery registration after the swap?
- Will the old battery go to a licensed recycler?
Our take
We'd have the battery tested in late autumn, before the frosts, once it's about three years old. NRMA recommends regular testing from that age, and the test takes under 10 minutes. It turns a dead car on a cold morning into a planned swap on a day that suits you.