Launching in Surrey
Car battery quotes
Post the job free with your registration and postcode. Garages on Matchanic can see it and choose whether to quote, and you only go ahead if you accept one. Matchanic is new and launching in Surrey, so there may be few or no garages on Matchanic near the car yet.
Signs your car may need this
- The engine turns over slowly, especially on cold mornings.
- A clicking noise, or nothing at all, when you try to start.
- The battery or charging warning light, which can also mean an alternator fault (see Electrical and lighting).
- Dim lights, or electrics that reset themselves, when you start the car.
- Stop-start that has stopped switching the engine off.
- White or green corrosion on the terminals.
- The car has needed a jump start more than once.
Jobs you can ask garages to quote for
The jobs you can choose for this when you post. Pick the one that fits, or the closest, and add the detail under ‘Anything else’.
- Battery replacement
- Battery coding
- Battery test
- Jump start or flat battery callout
- Battery terminal repair
- Stop-start battery replacement (AGM or EFB)
- Auxiliary battery replacement
What affects the price
Each garage sets its own price. These are the things that usually make the difference.
- The type of battery: a standard one, or the EFB or AGM type that stop-start cars usually need.
- The battery’s size and capacity, which depend on the car.
- Whether the new battery has to be coded (registered) to the car with diagnostic equipment.
- Where the battery sits. Some are under a seat or in the boot and take longer to reach.
- Whether the car can get to a garage, or the job needs a callout.
What to tell the garage
Say what happens when you try to start the car, how long it has been happening, and whether it has needed a jump start. If the car has stop-start, say so and choose ‘Stop-start battery replacement (AGM or EFB)’.
If the car can’t be driven, choose ‘Jump start or flat battery callout’. Garages see a callout like any other job and choose whether to quote, so there’s no set response time. It isn’t a breakdown or emergency service. If the battery seems fine but the car keeps going flat, ‘Battery test’ or the charging jobs under Electrical and lighting may fit better.
Questions about car batteries
What is battery coding?
Many newer cars need a new battery registered with the car’s computer, so the car charges it correctly. A garage does it with diagnostic equipment once the battery is fitted. Choose ‘Battery replacement’ and say under ‘Anything else’ that the car may need coding; if a new battery is already fitted, ‘Battery coding’ is a job of its own.
Why do stop-start cars need a different battery?
Stop-start can restart the engine many times on one journey, which is harder work for a battery. These cars usually need an EFB (enhanced flooded battery) or an AGM (absorbent glass mat) battery. The wrong type can stop stop-start working properly.
Is it the battery or the alternator?
It isn’t always easy to tell. A car that won’t start after standing, but runs fine once started, points towards the battery. A battery light while you drive, or a battery that goes flat again soon after a charge, can point to the alternator. ‘Battery test’ and, under Electrical and lighting, ‘Charging system test’ ask a garage to find out.
What about the battery in a hybrid or electric car?
Hybrids and electric cars have a 12-volt battery too, separate from the high-voltage one. ‘12V battery replacement (EV or hybrid)’ is under Hybrid and electric cars, and some cars with a second, auxiliary battery can post ‘Auxiliary battery replacement’ here.
Related jobs
Start with your registration
Posting a job is free, and you don’t have to accept a quote.
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