2 year old car battery not holding it's charge

Dopey

I have a 1.4 Almera and the battery is gone after only 2 years. It was holding charge if I drove it each day but went on holidays for a week and it's now completely flat.

I'm on a tight budget. Is Halfords the way to go. They quote me 90 Euro fitted and they take away the old one.

Anan1

Does the current battery have a warranty?

trad

If you left your car for a week with an alarm activated it can run down a battery, likewise if you are only doing short hops that could cause your battery to be low. Check that something like a boot light is not being left on.

BrianD3

Batteries can become weak after 2 years. If you drive the car every day but only a couple of miles at a time, then that is not going to be good for a battery. Your existing battery might last a while longer if you get a charger and give it a good charge every couple of days.

Also a motor factor might supply a new battery for cheaper than Halfords.

Dopey

The garage where I bought it has closed down. The car doesn't have an alarm.

Is it common practice for a motor factor to fit a new one and take the old one?

Anan1

Dopey wrote: »

Is it common practice for a motor factor to fit a new one and take the old one?

I think any business selling new batteries is obliged to take the old ones back.

kasper

before buying a new battery i would get the altenator checked even though it is charging the battery when the car is running a diode could be gone in the altenator causing the battrey to leak back through it when the car is not been used

unkel

Dopey wrote: »

Is it common practice for a motor factor to fit a new one and take the old one?

You could always ask them when ringing to check availability of a battery. Halfords do fit batteries you buy there for a small fee. Both the motor factors and Halfords are obliged to take your old battery if you wish.

Fixing a battery is a very easy 5 minute DIY job - you could do it yourself or ask someone you know.

robtri

kasper wrote: »

before buying a new battery i would get the altenator checked even though it is charging the battery when the car is running a diode could be gone in the altenator causing the battrey to leak back through it when the car is not been used

I was going to say same, have a car or two in past, where its not the battery thats at fault, its the altenator.

BeardyGit

One good thing about Halfords batteries is the warranty - I don't know anywhere else that offers warranty as long as theirs in Ireland. I've had two batteries die on me because I left them flat for months on end....Halfords replaced them without any quibble....

Dopey

Just a follow up on this. I took a chance and replaced the battery rather than take it to a garage.

I went to a motor factors in Finglas across from ALDI and they came out and told me which battery I needed. They gave me a loan of the spanners I needed and took away the old one. It took me 10 minutes. I'd highly recommend them.

The cost of the battery was €48 and includes a two year warranty. It's been working fine for the past four weeks.

JHMEG

BTW, all Motor Factors, including Halfords, have to take in old batteries for recycling. You don't have to have bought anything there to bring one in.