help - car battery boo hoo

[bawdy-nan]

yikes - just attempted to load the car with stuff for camping trip with kids tomorrow to discover my car won't start... argh argh triple argh.

It look like its the battery as the headlights seem to dim. Haven't used the car for a couple of weeks. Don't have roadside assistance (forgot to renew it when I changed car insurance a coupel of months ago)or any clue about what to do.

Is there such a thing as a mobile mechanic? Anyone got any ideas about what I can do. Supposed to be driving to yorkshire tomorrow for fabulous forest schools camp ... wonder if I need to hire a car instead - damn it damn it damn it

boo hoo

[Kapt.Kopter]

it may just be a flat battery. is your car a manual or automatic?

if its the former try a bump start, get someone to push you, when you are rolling turn the ignition dip the clutch and put it in second gear and release the clutch. hopefully you will start.

if its an auto you'll need to jump start it from another car...good luck

[Sandperson]

And if it's diesel you won't be able to bump it either.

[SimonM]

We had a problem with the battery going flat periodically on our Kia Sedona diesil. I spent a tenner or so on a solar-powered charger from Amazon and had no problems since: won't work if the car lives in a garage obviously! :))

[Brendan]

You can push start but it?s easier to just quickly jump start it. Then go to quick fit and get it sorted.

You really don?t need a mechanic to jump start a car just a set of jumper cables.

Surely someone on here can go around with some jumper cables and help out.

I would but unfortunately I?m in an office in Westminster and my car is in Surrey somewhere.

[Brendan]

Or if you call quick fit they may send someone up to get it going for you.

[DJKillaQueen]

If the battery has gone flat after two weeks of no use (and there isn't something draining on it) then it's possible the battery is near the end of it's life (they usually last for around 4 years in an average car with average use) or isn't charging properly for some other reason (faulty alternator/ poor connection etc). If you can't find someone to jump start you....take the battery out and take it round to kwik-fit or another garage and get them to charge it for you and check the condition at the same time. The last thing you want to do is go on holiday with a battery that no longer holds charge or you'll have the same problem.