Irregular vehicle use has long term effects on the battery

Having your battery checked is now more important than ever because many cars have not been used as regularly as they normally would have, over the last year. Most private vehicles clocked up fewer miles due to COVID-19 lockdown restrictions and a drop in commuter journeys. As a result, batteries faced major challenges last year. With continued restrictions in 2021 this looks set to continue for now.

When in addition to this we have warm weather outside it accelerates the degradation of the battery’s health, and so there are lots of cars out there with a weak battery.

The effects of a long standstill

Many cars have been stood still for months on end; therefore, the alternator has not had chance to recharge the battery. This along with a hot spring / summer and the cold winter have led to many batteries failing and leaving people stranded, particularly over the winter months where cold weather means the battery has to work harder to start the engine.

Today’s increased demands on the battery

This is also reflected in the latest ADAC roadside assistance statistics: Nearly 46% of all car breakdowns are caused by the battery in poor state of health. This underlines that batteries face greater demands than ever before, as they have to serve increasingly complex and power-hungry car electronics. Whereas Start-Stop systems, digital dashboards, inbuilt screens and parking cameras used to be limited to high-end vehicles, they are now commonplace on even entry-level models, all placing additional strain on the battery.

Many drivers are also plugging in their mobile devices to charge them whilst on-the-move, again drawing power from the vehicle. Therefore, it’s paramount to ensure the battery is in a condition to support all the comfort and safety features; it’s the heart of the car.

It’s been a challenging year for all of us and also for batteries. To avoid further troubles, have your battery tested. For more information on testing and to find your nearest VARTA® partner workshop for the VARTA Battery Test-Check program, visit our website: https://www.varta-automotive.com/en-be/battery-test