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Never be late for work again with quick 39p hack to avoid breaking down this winter, says car expert
Plus three steps you must take in the run-up to the colder months
YOU never have to be late for work again with this easy 39p hack to stop you from breaking down in the winter.
James Lett, technical director at and a former mechanic, urged drivers to keep their eyes peeled for a common issue when the weather turns chilly.
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He explained that the average 12V car battery struggles with sub-zero temperatures, meaning it's vital to keep on top of its condition.
A very common problem is battery corrosion caused by the acid inside them.
This usually appears in the form of blue-green fuzz or dust on the battery terminals.
If allowed to corrode for long enough, the battery will stop working altogether, leaving you unable to start your car without jump leads.
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Thankfully James, calling on his 15 years of experience fixing motors, was able to recommend a simple DIY trick to get rid of corrosion.
He told The Sun Online: "Car batteries struggle in the winter...when it's really cold they don't last long.
"My advice would be to go to a garage and ask them to clean it.
"What that would involve is disconnecting the terminals, getting a wire brush to thoroughly clean the terminals, putting on some grease and connecting them back up again.
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"But it is something [people] could do at home...it's a relatively safe job to do."
While a sturdy wire brush is the best thing to deal with corrosion marks, any firm bristled brush will do the job.
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You could even go out and get a new toothbrush, available for as little as 39p, to use in combination with a decent bit of elbow grease.
Just make sure to be careful when disconnecting/reconnecting the battery and take precautions to avoid electric shocks.
Always disconnect the negative terminal, usually marked in black, before the positive, usually in red.
These then must be reconnected in reverse order, beginning with the positive cable.
Other than dealing with corrosion, James recommended taking three steps before we get into the colder months to prepare.
Eight signs that your car battery is in a bad way
- Corrosion on the terminals - blue/green powder on the connectors
- A rotten egg smell when you open the bonnet
- The car needs frequent jump starts
- A check-engine light comes on
- Electrical issues - things like the radio, dashboard lights or charging port aren't working
- Difficulty starting
- Dim headlights
- Denting or warping of the battery casing
He said: "In the run up to winter, get the battery drop tested and get the state of health checked.
"If there's any doubt it's probably worth renewing the battery.
"Some garages do offer free health checks too.
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"And if you're not using the car for a prolonged period of time, it's quite a good idea to use a battery conditioner or trickle charger, just to keep the battery in a good state of health while you're not using it."
It comes after a TikTok mechanic explained how a "silly little" car mod can make you fail your MOT.
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