Car battery advice

When the car will not start

What the symptoms mean, what to try and when to stop trying.

1. 1Warning Signs Your Car Battery Is FailingSix early clues that a car battery is close to the end, and exactly what to do when the engine will not turn over.4 minute read
2. 2Car Won't Start: Battery, Alternator or Starter?How to tell a flat battery from a failed alternator or starter by what the car does when you turn the key, and what to do about each.5 minute read
3. 3How to Jump Start a Car SafelyThe correct order for connecting jump leads or a booster pack, the mistakes that damage electronics, and when not to attempt it at all.5 minute read

Choosing and buying a car battery

Types, sizes, brands and prices, so that a quote makes sense when you read it.

1. 1Car Battery Cost in Dubai and SharjahFair fitted prices for a car battery by vehicle type, what pushes the figure up or down, and how to read a quote.4 minute read
2. 2AGM vs EFB vs Flooded: Which Battery Does Your Car Need?The three kinds of car battery sold in the UAE, how they differ, and how to tell which one your car was built for.4 minute read
3. 3Car Battery Brands in the UAE Compared16 car battery brands sold in Dubai and Sharjah set side by side: where each sits in the market, the cars it suits and what it costs fitted.5 minute read
4. 4How to Read a Car Battery Label: Ah, CCA, DIN and JISWhat the numbers and codes printed on a car battery mean, and which of them have to match when the battery is replaced.5 minute read
5. 5Battery Registration and Coding After ReplacementWhy some cars must be told that a new battery has been fitted, which makes are affected, and what happens if the step is skipped.4 minute read

Making a battery last in the UAE

Heat, short trips and long absences, and what each does to a battery.

1. 1Car Battery Lifespan in the UAE HeatWhy a car battery in Dubai or Sharjah rarely sees its third summer, and the habits that buy it extra months.4 minute read
2. 2Leaving Your Car Parked While You Travel: Battery CareWhat happens to a car battery when the car stands for weeks in the UAE summer, and how to make sure it starts when you are back.4 minute read

Quick reference

• Car battery glossaryAGM, EFB, CCA, amp-hours, DIN and JIS: the terms on a label or a quote, in plain language.
• Questions and answersPrices, arrival times, warranty, payment and access, answered in one place.