Most car breakdowns have the same origin. However, it is quite simple to anticipate them.
You may have already settled behind the steering wheel of your car, to turn on the contact, and that nothing happens. Once, twice, three times … until you realize that something was definitely not going. Several reasons may explain that your vehicle does not start. The most serious, and by far the most expensive is the engine failure. Changing an engine costs several thousand euros, sometimes more expensive than the value of the car itself. A defective starter, an electronic failure, a fuel supply defect, a bug of the electronic key can also nail your car on the road, making it unable to travel the slightest meter.
But the most widespread cause is even simpler. The reunions of the ADAC – the powerful and very influential German automobile club founded over 120 years ago – shows that 45% of car breakdowns in 2024 were caused by a faulty battery. To reach this figure, the ADAC relied on all the repairs made last year across the Rhine by its emergency service. Which still represents more than a million interventions …
The ADAC also underlines that this failure affects both old and recent vehicles. The battery, which provides the energy necessary to start the engine, but also operate the headlights, radio, locking system and all electronics, has an average lifespan between 4 and 6 years. Unfortunately, his life expectancy is much shorter.
A car that performs a lot of short journeys is more likely than its battery is HS quickly because it is by driving that it recharges. Weather conditions also play a role on the lifespan of batteries. Everyone knows that they don’t like the cold, but the number of batteries that fall flat in summer is also high. The heat accelerates the aging of the battery by drying its internal components and increasing its discharge.
Fortunately, there are different ways to anticipate a battery failure. The easiest way is to go to your mechanic to have it tested, or make it yourself with a multimeter (a small device that allows you to check the tension). It is also possible, if your car has remained a long time stationed, in a garage for example, to use a charging holder. This electrical device, which connects to a conventional socket, is used to provide the battery with a sufficient continuous current for that it does not discharge completely.
A simple control before going on vacation can avoid many trouble on the road. Because beyond the price of a new battery, generally between 80 and 150 euros, a car that does not start can cause large troubleshooting costs if the failure occurs in the middle of nowhere and requires intervention. Not to mention the time you have lost not to be able to start your vehicle.