Holidaymakers Should Assess Their Vehicle Batteries to Avoid Travel Disasters, Says CTEK

LONDON, June 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

To avoid a breakdown catastrophe, those who are planning to either drive to their holiday destination or to the airport to go on vacation this summer should ensure they have undertaken the correct battery checks and maintenance, advises CTEK, a leading brand of smart battery chargers.

Any breakdown is inconvenient but if it happens when setting off on a trip or whilst away from home, a flight can easily be missed or a holiday spoilt. In order to avoid such travel disasters due to the failure of a car or motorbike's battery, vehicle owners can easily commence a maintenance routine to help prolong the battery's life and also undertake an inspection prior to departure.

If a car doesn't start as quickly and smoothly as it has done in the past, that is if the starter motor begins to turn slowly, it is an indication that the battery is not charging properly. Other signs to look out for concern the general electrics of a vehicle, for example, a car's ABS warning light could be lit at random or headlights appear much dimmer than usual. If these symptoms appear it would be wise to undertake a charge on the battery as it is likely to be functioning at less than optimum performance.

However, instead of waiting for these warning signs to develop, battery maintenance using a smart charger can extend the life of a battery, meaning an unexpected failure or loss of performance is much less likely. Whilst a trickle charger can top up a battery, continuous usage may result in it being unable to retain charge well and ultimately reduce its capacity. Holidaymakers would be wise to start making use of a smart battery charger to ensure their vehicle not only starts first time, every time, but also so that the battery is conditioned.

Jan-Ulf Soderberg, head of brand and marketing at CTEK, explains: "The majority of unmaintained batteries last no more than four or five years so a maintenance regime with a smart charger can help to ensure an unexpected battery failure is avoided. Not only is a failed battery a huge inconvenience but purchasing a new battery is an expense that most people would rather do without.

"When a family or group of friends is setting off on holiday or returning to their car after it has been parked at an airport for two weeks, the last thing they want to find is a flat battery. Therefore, we are reminding vehicle owners to keep an eye out for some tell-tale signs, such as dimmed headlights, and seriously consider smart charging as a regular routine."

A CTEK 12V battery charger is suitable for most cars and motorbikes, requires no specialist knowledge and can be safely left connected over long periods of time due to its 'smart' nature, which stops and starts the charge when required.

For more information on CTEK's wide range of battery charging products for cars, motorbikes and other vehicles, please visit http://www.ctek.com.