Aftermarket February 2023

W inter is when the battery is finished off, but the damage is done earlier, as Angie Mavar, Battery Expert at Clarios, explained: “The car battery ages in the heat in summer and dies in winter. Despite the last few years having mild winters, the low-voltage battery has further extended its lead over other causes of breakdowns. The main reason for this was downtime due to lockdowns and home office working, where batteries lost their voltage and were not recharged. The hot days of the past summer are now added on top and the high temperatures lead to self-discharge, which ages the battery faster. This has already taken its toll on batteries this year. If battery performance then drops because of the cold and engine starts demand more from the battery, that's too much for old or stressed batteries. Even one night of frost can be enough and the battery can no longer start the engine.” Incentivise This represents an opportunity for garages, as Colin Cottrell, Marketing Director at LKQ Euro Car Parts, noted: “An estimated one in three vehicles that enters a workshop could require a new battery. To help prevent a surge in battery issues this winter, we recommend investing in the latest battery testing and charging equipment. Garage owners should ensure that they have battery testers that work with 12v and 24v charging systems, and that have stop-start capability as standard. We also recommend that technicians take advantage of LKQ Euro Car Parts’ ‘Test to Earn’ initiative, which incentivises garages to test batteries as standard whenever a vehicle is brought in for servicing or repair. Those who sign up to ‘Test to Earn’ will also receive a battery tester that is theirs to keep on achievement of a pre-agreed three-month battery sales target. For more information, visit: https://omnipart.eurocarparts.com/omnihub/garag e-support/batteries According to Ecobat Battery Technical Manager John Bentley, workshops need to take three steps to maximise the battery opportunity: “Firstly, initiate a battery testing regime. Ecobat has found that 27% of the vehicles that 30 AFTERMARKET FEBRUARY 2023 BATTERIES AND CHARGERS www.aftermarketonline.net enter the independent workshop need either their batteries recharged or reconditioned, and a further 11% need a replacement, which means that almost 40% of the vehicles they service daily has a battery issue. However, whether the vehicle is booked in for a MOT, annual service, or some sort of repair, workshops rarely test the battery. The knock- on effect is that 40% of roadside breakdowns are due to battery failure and the beneficiaries of these failures are not independent workshops, or the factors that supply them, but breakdown services such as the AA and RAC etc. “Secondly, always reset the vehicle’s ECU after an AGM or EFB Stop/Start battery has been replaced. Unless the vehicle has been modified and requires an upgraded battery, technicians should always ensure they install a replacement of the same standard as the vehicle’s OE fitment, so if it’s an AGM or EFB battery at first fit, the Above: CTEK PRO120 in use CHARGING INTO 2023 Battery testing and charging will help you serve your customers and generate greater profit through the tough winter months