Your car’s emergency battery light will turn red to tell you that the charging circuit isn’t working as it should. It may be due to a faulty alternator (the generator that produces the electric current) or drive belt, or another component in the circuit. Either way, it’s not generally a roadside repair option for the [...]

We do not recommend push starts for many reasons. Unburnt fuel in the exhaust is a bad thing if you have a catalytic converter. When the car fires, this unburnt fuel will explode and, whilst this might sound like a pop in the exhaust system, it can damage the catalyser – and they are very [...]

Replace your Windscreem wipers as soon as they aren’t cleaning as well as they used to – at least every year or two – dirty smears left by old blades causes impaired visibility which is particularly bad in low sun or night driving conditions. It can be a bit frustrating doing this the first time, [...]

To jump start a car, first of all you need a set of jump-leads (sometimes referred to as booster cables). These will give you the opportunity to pipe battery power from another car (the donor) to get yours (the casualty) started. Always buy the best jump-leads you can afford; if they’re as skinny as a [...]

Always consult your car’s user manual or the Haynes workshop manual for your vehicle’s model for more specific information – not all methods will be exactly the same as this.  Be aware that by disconnecting your battery you may lose electronic settings for things like you’re your stereo presets, your alarm and key fob settings [...]

If you experience a puncture whilst driving and need to Change a Tyre, slow down to no more than 5mph, and drive yourself to a safe place away from other traffic – ideally a lay-by or car parking space, and preferably near a light if it is dark. You may need to park the car [...]

If the battery is flat because you left the side lights on by accident, turn them off now. After ten minutes or so the battery may recover sufficiently to start the car so turn everything else off to give it a chance and make sure the car doors are closed, or your efforts will be [...]