CAA Manitoba recommends checking car battery age as cold weather sets in – Winnipeg

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CAA recommends checking car battery health now

Clicking ignitions, struggling engines, popping hoods – familiar winter sounds as the cold weather takes a toll on vehicles, sounds CAA Manitoba employee Tiberio Pereira hears when he gets to work.

He says most of the service requests he’s receiving these days are for batteries, plus the occasional flat tire.

“It catches people off guard but we are busy because a lot of people don’t realize their batteries (last) four to six (years), so, (it’s an) out of sight out of mind type thing,” Pereira said.

Pereira arrives at the home of William Helgason, who is happy to see him.

Helgason said when he noticed his car was taking a few cranks to start, he decided to get his battery looked at.

“I’m old and wise and I think that people should probably think ahead,” Helgason said. “I maybe even should’ve gotten the battery a few months ago but I’m doing it now while there’s not such a big demand.”

Early December is just the start of the busy season for CAA; requests for service really pick up in January and February.

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Winter tire safety lessons for drivers

While Helgason is back on the road, Pereira’s next customer isn’t so lucky. This man will need a tow.

During this time of year, Pereira says preparation is key, noting there are a few things drivers might want to keep in their vehicles.

“It would be nice to have a little booster pack; some people carry them but most of the time they don’t charge them,” he said.

Pereira gets back in his truck and heads off to his next customer. He averages 10 or more calls a day.

“It’s a little more tiring but you’re helping a lot of people,” Pereira said. “It’s amazing, you can’t always help someone – like the gentleman earlier. He had a car problem but they’re so happy you can at least give them sort of an idea of what’s going on with their vehicle.”

Pereira’s biggest piece of advice for drivers is to check the age of their battery and replace it if it’s in that four-to-six age range because once January rolls around, the wait for service becomes much longer.

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CAA driver shows 3 quick tips to avoid a dead battery in Winnipeg’s frigid winter

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