It's an add-on to Roadside Assistance, which covers you for breakdowns within 1/4 mile from your home. Without it, you'd need to break down more than 1/4 mile from your home to claim. You can buy home breakdown cover any time, but it'll cost you you more if you add it when you need to claim. How many call-outs can I make in a year? Plus, modern cars have lots more power-hungry electronics than older cars used to. Think of built-in sat navs, infotainment systems, seat heaters and USB plugs. All of them put strain on the battery. Portable jump starters have a built-in battery, meaning they can be used on the go whenever you need them. The only downside is that you must charge them after use, which can take several hours.

Best Portable Jump Starters of 2023 - Lifewire The Best Portable Jump Starters of 2023 - Lifewire

A jump start is a handy way to start a car with a flat battery. But jump leads can cause damage to both cars and people if they’re not used properly. If your car won't start at home, it could be because of a flat battery, failed starter motor or a faulty alternator – all things we can help with. Will the AA come to my house? We prefer models with built-in safety features and alerts, to warn against wrongful connection, dead shorts, and a low charge on the car battery, when being used as a jump starter. Such alerts may just save you damaging your jump starter and your car’s delicate electronics. Our recommendation? Having both a jump starter and a battery charger can be helpful. A battery charger is better if you have access to a power outlet and have enough time to charge the battery, while a jump starter is better in a pinch for those who need to get on the road right away.

3. Connect the black jump lead

If you’re keen to do it yourself, take a look at our advice on how to jump start a car. But make sure you read the instructions in your handbook and follow those if they're different to our steps. In 2018, a flat battery was the second-biggest reason why our Members broke down, and we were called out to more than 300,000 of them.*

Power Station

The vehicle with the flat battery, which needs to be in a spot where jump leads can easily reach the battery. If you don't use the car much, you can leave these connected for long periods without damaging the battery. Find someone with a car who’s happy to help. Their car must have a fully charged battery with the same voltage as yours (usually 12 volts). 1. Line up both cars Make sure all electricals like heaters, windscreen wipers and stereo are off when you park or start the car. Park both cars so their batteries are within easy reach of one another (without the cars actually touching).For your safety, and our peace of mind, we’d always prefer you to give us a call and leave the jump starting to our trained mechanics. Maximum capacity – Engine sizes have been shrinking in recent times, and unless you’re running a huge land yacht of a car, you won’t need a hugely powerful jump starter.

AA1678 - Power Station Manual - 280422 - 04

Most batteries will last somewhere between 5 and 7 years. However, our mechanics see cases where the battery has failed after only 2 or 3 years because of how the car was driven. It won't charge a flat battery, but it'll help to keep the battery charged on a vehicle you don't use much. Our Battery Assist service will help you whether you're a Member or not. And you can also call us out even if it's not an emergency breakdown. Fortunately modern lithium battery-based jump starters are compact and lightweight, and can even double up as an everyday USB charger in some cases. But traditional big heavy lead/acid starters remain popular too. In this test we compare both types, and a third emerging technology. There are a few ways you can avoid getting a flat battery and help your car's battery last longer: 1. Go for regular drivesIf you have breakdown cover with us, we'll come out to test your battery to see if it needs a charge or if you need a new one. You can find out more about breakdown cover with our guide.