Mid-Winter Car Safety

Although this winter we have enjoyed above average temperatures in Tasmania, there have been a number of wild, wet and windy days with a few extreme cold temps thrown in. Weather has certain effects on our vehicles, so to keep your car on track for the rest of winter and heading into spring, be sure to complete these simple safety checks.

·       Tyres - Wet roads due to rain or snow can be slippery. If car tyres are worn their ability to grip the road in such conditions is limited. Check the tread on your car’s tyres to ensure it has enough depth in the rubber. Besides being a requirement for registration, this is a major safety concern. Replace worn tyres, and make sure you check the air pressure and adjust according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Don’t forget about the spare!

·       Lights - Fully functioning lights on your vehicle is of high importance in the darker days and rainy nights we can experience in winter. Test all of your car’s lights on a regular basis and replace globes as necessary.

·       Windscreen and wipers - If you’ve noticed they are leaving lines on your windscreen when in use, now is the time to insert new blades. While you are at it, check the wiper fluid and refill. The inside of your windscreen can also become hazy and covered in a dirty film, so clean this too to achieve maximum visibility for safe winter driving.

·       Battery - Extreme cold temperatures put extra strain on your car battery as it has to work harder to get started and continue running. If you notice your engine is having difficulty starting in the morning, check the age of your battery and replace if necessary. You can also have your battery checked at a service centre.

Regular servicing can help keep your car safe and running smoothly. If you haven’t had a full

service done for a while, book one in today and keep you and your family safe on the roads for

the rest of winter.

Introducing Battery Shop!

About Us 

We have been selling batteries for 20 years through Cooper Automotive Service Centres and have now added the convenience of roadside assistance and fitment. If it’s on water or wheels we have the battery to suit. We only stock and sell quality batteries, all our batteries are backed by a replacement warranty.

Need a specialty battery for your vehicle?

From prestige cars with the latest technology right through to trucks, motorbikes and marine batteries, if it’s on wheels or water we have the battery to suit. We’ve been supplying Tasmanians with batteries for over 20 years.

Why DIY, when we can Do It For You?

Battery and vehicle technology have changed a lot over the years to the point where sourcing and fitting your own battery can be fraught with danger. So why DIY and risk getting it wrong when we can Do It for You. Our technicians can provide expert advice and professional fitting and it’s all part of the service.

Environmentally Friendly

When Battery Shop replaces your battery, we’ll ensure your old battery is recycled and doesn’t end up as land fill. Even if you don’t buy a battery from us you can drop your old battery in to any battery shop for recycling.

---

So when you need your next battery call the Battery Shop. And watch the video below for an easy way to remember our phone number!

Looking after your car battery

Summer is still lingering, but colder months are just around the corner.

Before we get there it's a good time to start thinking about our cars and take some precautions now to avoid the winter blues later on.

The component that tends to come under the most stress in winter, and usually fails first, is the battery that powers our car.

We might think it's the engine that powers the car, but it won't be going anywhere if the battery is flat. And we all know that there are few things worse than being stuck with a car that won't start on a cold morning when you're already late for work.

A first step to avoid the worry is to know how to check the battery. If you’re not sure where it’s located have a look at the owner’s manual. In most car’s it’s quite prominent in the engine bay under the bonnet, but on occasion it can be found in the boot of the car.

If your car is old, then it’s most likely that the battery will be old too. If that’s the case, i.e. three years or more, then it’s worth having it checked by your mechanic to ensure it's going to be capable of doing its job in the colder months ahead.

Once you’re familiar with where the battery is located, have a look at the state it’s in.  It's quite common to find the build-up of corrosion on the terminals (terminals are hard to miss once you’re looking at the battery); it's a white crystalline substance that can affect the battery's performance.

Pouring boiling water over the terminals is enough to clean the corrosion off the outside of the terminals, but to clean them properly it's necessary to disconnect them. To disconnect the terminals loosen the terminal clamps, negative first and positive last, and then wash the corrosion away from the battery terminals and the clamps with boiling water.

Dry the terminals and clamps and reconnect the leads, positive first and negative last. To help stall the build-up of corrosion apply a smear of Vaseline or other petroleum jelly over the outside of the terminal.

Do not apply the jelly to the terminal before you connect the leads as that could affect the conductivity and lower the battery's performance.

If you’re not confident in doing any of this then bring your car in to Cooper Automotive and we’ll make sure you’ll be safe on the road this winter.

Handy hints:

If you are going to disconnect the terminals on the battery make sure you have your radio's security code as you'll need that when you reconnect the battery again. If you don't have it, get it from you dealer or manufacturer before you go any further. Without it you won't be able to use your radio!

It’s also worth noting that your engine may run rough, idle poorly or the engine may cut out at idle after the battery has been disconnected. This occurs in some cars because the car’s computer has lost its memory while the battery was disconnected. Once you have driven the car for a while the computer will re-learn and will idle normally again.