Replace Battery
Test Alternator Charging Rate
Check Starter Motor and Starting System
Check Drive Belts and Pulleys
A car battery is the most important component in any vehicle’s electrical system. It provides short bursts of energy to power the car lights, accessories and engine. Once the battery jolts the engine to life, the alternator takes over and continues the power transmission.
If your car battery is dead, your vehicle won’t start, and the alternator will have to work too hard — potentially to the point of failure — which is why it's so important to take care of the battery.
At Lube Mobile, our highly qualified mobile mechanics provide doorstep car service and car repairs across Australia including Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide.
Our vans are equipped with a full range of tools needed to perform almost any repair or replacement. Booking our on-site service will not just save you time but also prevent unnecessary travel to and from the workshop. With our mechanics working at your location, you can track the work that is being done on your car.
Vibrations caused due to severe off-road driving lead to the erosion of car battery plates. The sediment that builds up at the bottom of the battery case can short-circuit the positive and negative plates, causing complete battery failure.
Another reason why a car battery tends to discharge is the lack of use. If a vehicle is parked for long periods of time and driven only short distances, the battery plates might coat themselves with sulphate crystals, which in turn can reduce their ability to absorb and discharge electrical current.
Overcharging the car battery can also shorten its life by boiling away the battery’s electrolyte and exposing the battery plates to atmospheric air. The symptoms of overcharging are a wet-looking battery case and a distinct sulphurous odour.
A 12-volt battery comprises six cells — where each fully-charged cell produces about 2.2 volts. The failure of an individual cell can reduce the battery terminal voltage to 10.4 volts, which can cause hard starting and cold engine performance complaints.
How do you know if your car needs a new battery?
Typically, the first sign of a flat or dead battery will be warning lights on the car’s dashboard or you may find yourself trying to start your vehicle and hearing only a ticking sound.
Sometimes it’s just normal wear and tear on the car and sometimes it’s an indication of something else that has gone wrong with your vehicle. Common issues with dead or flat batteries are normally associated with overuse so ensure that you don’t turn on the car lights if the engine isn’t running.
If the voltage is wrong or there’s a problem with your alternator, a car battery is usually the first component that stops functioning. The good news is that we have a mobile mechanic near you who can attend the scene and get you back on the road as soon as possible.
With LubeMobile, you don’t have to worry about hidden costs as our mobile mechanics provide a customised quote for repairs and services before commencing on any work. You can also get an average quote on our website by filling in some details about your car.
Car batteries will typically last between 3 to 5 years depending on the vehicle. Flat or damaged batteries are one of the top causes for roadside breakdowns as they are simply too old to do their job. Our mechanics can inspect your vehicle and inform you if it’s time to go for a car battery replacement.
Using jumper cables is a safe and easy way to quickly power up your dead car battery.
Get hold of a vehicle with a fully functioning car battery. Park the cars parallelly so that their batteries are as close as possible. Put both the cars in neutral and shut off the ignitions.
Attach one red clip of the jumper cable to the positive terminal of the donor battery and the other red clip to the positive terminal of the dead battery.
Now, place one black clip to the negative terminal of the functional battery and the other one to an unpainted metal surface on your car that isn’t near the battery.
Start the vehicle that has a healthy battery and let it run for about 10 minutes. Now try to start your car. If the jump works and your car starts, don’t shut off your engine. Carefully remove the jumper cables starting with the black leads and then drive around for at least 15 minutes to recharge your battery. If the car doesn’t start the next time you use it, the battery isn’t holding a charge and needs to be replaced.
It’s always a good idea to have a licenced mechanic complete any vehicle repairs on your motor and that includes installing a new car battery. All our mobile mechanics are fully licenced technicians who can provide repairs on the spot such as battery replacements or services including logbook services on new cars.
Healthy car batteries or fully charged batteries can produce about 12.6 volts when the car engine is running. When properly charged, a car battery can power a 25A load for nine to 15 hours. Thereafter, the voltage may drop below 10.5 volts and the battery might not be able to start the car. If you drain your car battery too far, you can damage its ability to hold a charge in the future. It is hence advisable to get a car battery replacement on time.
The easiest way to measure your car battery’s voltage is by using a multimeter. Your Lube Mobile mechanic will have all the tools needed to test the health of your car battery.
The performance of your car battery is also dependent on several other parts. Say, for example, you shouldn’t overlook the symptoms of bad or failing battery terminal ends as they are the first point of contact between the car battery and the vehicle’s electrical system. Similarly, a car with a failed alternator can only run for a short time as once the battery is depleted, the vehicle will die and fail to restart.
Also note that the fuse and fusible links inside your car will be the first failure point in the event of a short or overload. And, if you hear a clicking noise when turning the key or pushing the start button, chances are you need a starter motor replacement. If you are unsure about the performance of any of these parts, you should contact our mobile mechanics for a thorough diagnosis.
We can also help if your automotive headlights are constantly having issues or your vehicle stalls suddenly because of a failing ignition switch. We use only branded spare parts and all our repair and replacement work is covered under our 12 month/20,000km warranty scheme.
Buy a car battery from Lube Mobile and experience our high-quality mechanical service at your home, roadside or office – wherever you happen to be.