#AutofactorCarTips : Why is your car battery running flat?

You can suffer a dead car battery for a whole host of reasons. This is why flat car batteries are the number one reason for call-outs to breakdown services.

There are a number of reasons why car batteries die. A few common ones include:

• Leaving headlights, interior lights, flashers, and the radio on when the car isn’t running
• Using the air conditioner when the car is not running
• Not starting a car for long periods of time (e.g., while it’s in storage)
• Lack of battery maintenance (e.g., not keeping terminals clean)
• Failure of the diode bridge or voltage regulator in the alternator; the alternator charges the battery when the car is running
• Low air temperature, which causes batteries to freeze

What To Do When Your Car Battery Dies

The most common way to deal with a dead battery is by jump-starting it. All you need to jump-start a car is a set of jumper cables and another car with a functional battery. Keep in mind that you should never try to jump-start a car if its battery is cracked and is visibly leaking acid.