Car Battery Life

[gness]

My car is ten years old....the original battery lasted until I left the interior light on about two or so years ago.
The chap who came out said it wasn't holding a charge now so he started it and followed me to Halfords where I bought a new one.

That one lasted about eight months til I left the light on again....all this searching for my lost mobile in the dark does it.....

Again the battery wouldn't hold a charge so I had to have a new one. The chap in Halfords said bring the eight month one in and he'd check it but it was usually what happens when a battery goes flat.

So, before I fork out for a new battery, is it normal to need a new battery each time...or should this one charge up?

I no longer use any interior lighting........☺

Thanks Gx

[bhg481]

Running a car battery completely flat, eg by leaving the interior light on, is usually enough to wreck it. You might get away with it if you're lucky.

[gness]

Well I hope I'm lucky this time, Bhg......I'm old enough to have had cars that only started with a push.....but at least they kept going then......☺

[tonyav]

Charge it up gness, overnight trickle charge. You'll know if it isn't going to hold it's charge after a day or two.

[gness]

Hi, Tony....will do as I have no long or necessary journeys for a few weeks I can, as you say...see what happens...thanks...x

[gness]

Hi, Methyl......this went flat with no lights left on....and it gets a jolly good run quite often......far and fast. Just standing for three weeks I guess.

The battery that made it to Halfords wasn't this one.....the guy started the car and followed me to Halfords......saying it would make that journey but wouldn't charge up enough to be reliable.

[sunny-dave]

I once flattened a battery in much the same way as you just have.

In my case I left the car at an airport car park and it was as dead as a dead dingo's donger by the time I flew back after three weeks. The alarm system had just gently flattened it.

A jump start and a 100 mile run home sorted it with no problems - there's quite a difference between a gentle flattening by an alarm and a 'lights on all night' disaster.

[gness]

Thanks, Dave....I'll get it started then find a dish living 100 miles away to visit....wonder where Slappy is.....☺

Seriously....I don't want to keep being told it's a new battery unless I am really convinced it is...x

[gness]

Lost me now, Methyl.....I know batteries flatten....but my point is...is that always the end for a fairly new battery?...x

[sunny-dave]

A catastrophic short can kill a battery, leaving the lights on may hurt it too, but a gentle discharge by an alarm system shouldn't do any permanent harm.

[gness]

ooops...realise I didn't say it had just been standing in the garage for three weeks......was in my head....god knows where it went then....☺

[gness]

Sod it...I did...on a different thread....maybe I should just go to bed.... :-(

[Graham-W]

Even the cheapest battery has a 12 months warranty. The more expensive have 2 years. If you can find the receipt take it with you. If you can't find the receipt Halfords may have it on their system when you bought it.
IMHO they should replace the battery, at no charge ( no pun intended ) if it only lasted 8 months.

[Hopkirk]

I agree with Graham - most batteries last until just after the guarantee runs out, and at eight months it must still be covered.

Do one of your embarrassing scenes and it will be replaced to get you out of there.

[gness]

Thank you all.....when my brain comes back from holiday to join the rest of me I shall commence battle.....x

[shoota]

Can you wait that long?

[gness]

Morning, Shoota.....I'm in no rush.......☺...x

[shoota]

Get a decent battery for £49.99 and re-invest the other 1p....