Having a car battery replaced should help resolve battery-related starting problems. But what happens when you’ve paid someone to fit a replacement battery and your car still won’t start?
Having a car battery replaced should help resolve battery-related starting problems. But what happens when you’ve paid someone to fit a replacement battery and your car still won’t start?
At Avant Auto Assist, we recently attended a customer in Manchester who experienced exactly this situation. The customer had arranged for another person to replace their car battery, but afterwards, the vehicle would not start.
Concerned about what had gone wrong, the customer contacted us for assistance.
When we attended, we checked the vehicle details against our battery database and discovered that the battery fitted previously was the incorrect specification for the vehicle. We also found that the battery was used and had less than 40% state of health.
We explained our findings to the customer, who decided to proceed with a suitable replacement battery.
The customer contacted Avant Auto Assist after having their battery replaced by another provider. Despite the replacement, the vehicle was no longer starting as expected.
This can be a frustrating situation for any driver. Replacing a battery can be an unexpected expense, so discovering that the car still will not start can leave you wondering whether the replacement was suitable in the first place.
Rather than immediately assuming the vehicle needed another battery, we explained that we would need to attend and investigate the issue.
Battery problems can have several causes, including an incorrect battery specification, a faulty battery, poor connections or a separate starting system fault. An assessment was needed to establish what was happening with this particular vehicle.
When we arrived in Manchester, we began investigating the issue.
We entered the vehicle registration into our battery database to identify the appropriate battery specification for the car. This is an important step because vehicles can require different battery sizes, capacities and technologies.
Our checks revealed two significant issues with the battery that had previously been installed.
First, the battery was the incorrect specification for the vehicle.
Using the vehicle registration helped us identify the battery requirements and establish that the battery already fitted did not match the required specification.
Second, the battery was used and had less than 40% state of health.
This meant the battery’s reported health was significantly reduced. A battery in poor condition may struggle to deliver reliable starting performance, even if it has been installed recently.
The fact that a battery has only recently been fitted does not necessarily mean that it is new or suitable for the vehicle.
In this case, the combination of the incorrect specification and the battery’s poor reported condition raised clear concerns about its suitability.
Once we had completed our checks, we explained the results to the customer.
We talked them through the battery specification issue and showed them the results indicating that the battery had less than 40% state of health.
We believe it is important for customers to understand what has been found and why a particular solution is being recommended.
Instead of simply advising the customer to buy another battery, we explained the problems with the existing installation and discussed the appropriate next step.
The customer could then make an informed decision based on the findings.
After we explained the diagnosis, the customer asked us to replace the battery.
We arranged a suitable replacement based on the vehicle’s requirements, addressing the issue of the incorrect battery that had previously been fitted.
We also supplied a warranty with the replacement battery, giving the customer additional reassurance regarding their purchase.
Unfortunately, the customer had also experienced difficulties contacting the person who had fitted the previous battery, as that person had stopped responding to them.
This added to the customer’s frustration, particularly because they had already paid for a battery replacement that had not resolved the problem.
Our priority was to explain the situation clearly and provide a suitable replacement with warranty cover.
Not all car batteries are interchangeable. Even when a battery appears to fit physically, it may not meet the vehicle manufacturer’s requirements.
Depending on the vehicle, important considerations can include:
This is why checking the vehicle registration and confirming the required specification are important steps before fitting a replacement.
Battery state of health is an indication of the battery’s overall condition relative to its expected performance when it was new.
A battery with less than 40% state of health has a significantly reduced reported health level. Depending on the battery’s condition and test results, this can indicate that replacement should be considered.
However, state of health is not the same as state of charge. A battery can be charged but still be in poor condition and unable to provide reliable starting performance.
Testing helps distinguish between a battery that simply needs charging and one that has deteriorated and may need replacing.
In this Manchester case, the battery’s reported state of health was below 40%, alongside the finding that it was the incorrect specification for the vehicle.
If your car will not start after a battery has been replaced, it is worth investigating the cause before spending more money.
At Avant Auto Assist, we provide mobile assistance for battery and starting problems, including:
If your existing battery is unsuitable or has deteriorated, we can discuss a replacement that matches your vehicle’s requirements.
Possible causes include an unsuitable or faulty battery, poor electrical connections, an installation issue or a separate problem with the starter motor or charging system. Appropriate checks can help identify the cause.
Yes. A battery may be physically compatible with the battery compartment but still fail to meet the vehicle’s required specification. Checking the vehicle details and manufacturer’s requirements helps establish the correct battery.
It indicates that the battery’s reported health is significantly reduced. The exact interpretation depends on the testing method, but a battery in this condition may no longer provide reliable performance and should be assessed for replacement.
Not necessarily. The battery should be assessed first. If it is the wrong specification, defective or significantly deteriorated, a suitable replacement may be required.
Warranty terms depend on the battery supplied. For this Manchester job, we provided the customer with a warranty alongside the replacement battery. Contact us to discuss the warranty applicable to your particular replacement.
If you’ve had a battery fitted but your car still will not start, don’t automatically assume that another jumpstart or replacement will solve the problem.
The battery specification, its condition and the vehicle’s starting and charging systems may all need to be considered.
As this Manchester call-out demonstrates, checking the vehicle details and testing the existing battery can reveal issues that may otherwise be overlooked.
Contact Avant Auto Assist for car battery diagnostics and mobile battery replacement in Manchester.
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When your car struggles to start, the battery is often the first thing people suspect. However, a starting problem does not always mean you need a new battery.
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