What's included
- A jump start wherever you are: at home, at work, in a car park or at the roadside
- Advice on how long to drive afterwards so the battery can recharge
- Recovery to your home or a garage if the car still won't start
- Jump starts for cars, vans and 4x4s
Signs your battery is flat
The engine turns over slowly or not at all, you hear a rapid clicking when you turn the key, the dashboard lights are dim or flicker, or the central locking doesn't respond to the key fob. Sometimes the car starts but warning lights come on that weren't there before.
Batteries tend to go flat after the car has been left for a week or two (a holiday in the airport car park is a classic), after lots of short journeys, when lights or a phone charger have been left on, and in cold weather. An older battery, usually four or five years or more, gives up more easily.
After the jump start
Once your engine is running, try to drive for at least half an hour, ideally on faster roads, so the alternator can put some charge back into the battery. Avoid switching the engine off straight away.
If the battery goes flat again within a day or two, it's probably time for a new one. Get it checked at a garage or battery specialist rather than relying on another jump.
Stuck at the airport, the station or a car park
Car parks are one of the most common places to find a flat battery: the Stansted Airport car parks after a trip away, station car parks after a long day, or the supermarket after the lights were left on. Tell us the car park, the level and the row or bay number, and whether there's a height barrier, so we can get to you easily.
Hybrids, electric cars and stop-start
Many modern cars, including those with stop-start, hybrids and electric cars, still have a 12-volt battery that can go flat. Tell us your make and model when you call, and if you can, check the handbook for the correct jump start points: they aren't always under the bonnet.
