Flat car battery? Charging and jump-start help in Potchefstroom

Does it need a charge, or a new battery?

A battery can go flat because something drained it, or because it can't hold a charge any more. The two look the same on the morning the car won't start. These signs help you tell them apart.

• It went flat after you left the lights, the boot light or the aircon on. A charge will probably fix this.
• The car sat unused for a few weeks. A charge will probably fix this too.
• It cranks slowly but still starts, and the battery is fairly new. Ask for a test before you buy anything.
• It's flat again a few days after a jump-start. The battery isn't holding a charge and is likely finished.
• The battery is more than three years old and the car struggles most mornings. Get it tested.

A car battery lasts about four years on average. Heat, vibration and short trips wear it down sooner.

How to jump-start a car safely

You need a second car with a healthy battery and a set of jumper cables. Read your owner's manual first. Some cars have a dedicated jump-start terminal under the bonnet.

1. Park the helper car close, but don't let the two cars touch. Switch both engines off.
2. Clip one red clamp to the positive terminal of the flat battery.
3. Clip the other red clamp to the positive terminal of the good battery.
4. Clip one black clamp to the negative terminal of the good battery.
5. Clip the last black clamp to bare, unpainted metal on the flat car's engine, away from the battery.
6. Start the helper car and let it run for a few minutes, then start the flat car.
7. Once the engine runs, remove the clamps in the reverse order.

Don't lean over the battery while you connect the clamps, and keep the clamps from touching each other. If you aren't sure, call us instead.

After the jump-start

Drive for at least 20 minutes so the alternator can put charge back in. A jump gets you moving but it doesn't repair a weak battery.

If you need a second jump within a week, stop jumping it. The battery is the problem. Bring the car in and we'll test the battery and tell you straight whether it needs charging or replacing.

What we do at the shop

We charge flat batteries and test them. A battery that comes back to full charge and passes the test goes back in the car. A battery that fails is replaced. Prices for replacement batteries are on our battery prices page.

Stuck somewhere and can't get the car to the shop? See our battery call-out page. For the test itself, see battery testing.

Questions about charging and jump-starts