How to avoid the won't start nightmare

Few things are more instantly depressing than a car that will not start. You turn the key in expectation and are rewarded with - nothing! Battery failure is the number one reason motorists call a breakdown service. And it is just one of many common faults that are caused by a lack of basic maintenance.

Of course, having your vehicle serviced regularly is important but it does not stop there. Over the past ten years, manufacturers have increased the service intervals, therefore there is an even greater need to carry out safety and maintenance checks in between these long periods. Carrying out such checks will help avoid unwelcome bills and minimise the expense or the inconvenience of a breakdown.

Although many car owners believe that modern cars are too complicated for them to work on, this is not so. Routine tasks can be done by anybody - if they know what they are doing. Haynes, the world-leading publisher of automotive repair manuals, is renowned for teaching millions of car owners how to carry out routine maintenance and repairs. The manuals provide authoritative and accurate step-by-step information for both basic and more complex tasks.

A flat battery and how to replace it.

Modern car electrical systems put big demands on the battery. Sometimes a battery will fail with no warning, but usually the first sign of trouble is that the engine is reluctant to start when cold, with the starter motor turning more slowly than usual. This is then followed by a failure to start at all.

There are three main reasons for a battery to be flat. One is old age, in which case fitting a new battery will cure the problem. The second is leaving the lights on (or even the radio or alarm, if parked for a long time); generally a jump-start will put things right - although the life of the battery will be shorter following a complete discharge. The third is a problem with the charging system; fitting a new battery won't cure that.

A Haynes Service and Repair Manual gives simple tests so that you can identify the reason for your flat battery, or alternatively, visit one of our stores and we can carry out a comprehensive test with our electronic test equipment.

For more advice on model-specific procedures, please refer to the appropriate Haynes Service and Repair Manual.
Haynes Manuals are available from this website and from any of our stores.