Electric cars are a growing share of what people drive in Ireland, and the car will not start for the same reason as a petrol car more often than you might expect.
Two batteries, two jobs
An electric car has a large battery that drives the wheels. It also has a small 12V battery, like the one in a petrol car. The 12V battery runs the computers, the locks, the lights and the system that wakes the car up. If it goes flat, the car can refuse to start or even to unlock, even though the large battery is full.
Signs the 12V battery is the problem
- The car will not unlock, or the key fob does nothing.
- The dashboard stays dark or flickers when you get in.
- You get warnings or a message that the car cannot start.
- The large battery shows plenty of charge, but the car will not “ready”.
Why it fails
The 12V battery is smaller than most people expect, and it works hard even when the car is parked, because the car keeps some systems awake. Cold weather, a car left unused for weeks and short trips all make it more likely to run flat.
What to do
- Do not keep pressing the start button. Wait a minute and try once more.
- Check the owner’s handbook for where the 12V battery is. It is not always under the bonnet, and some cars have a special jump point.
- Do not connect a jump starter or cables without checking the handbook. Some electric cars should not be jump started in the usual way, and a wrong connection can damage the electronics.
- Ring us with the make, model and year in front of you, and we will explain on the call whether we can wake the car and how we would go about it.
When the battery needs replacing
If the car is fine after a jump but fails again in a day or two, the 12V battery may have reached the end of its life. A new one is usually a small job compared with the cost of the car, and worth doing before the winter.
If you are in a dangerous place
If the car has stopped somewhere unsafe, get everyone out and away from traffic first. If anyone is hurt, call 112.
Call 085 783 9202