Photo: MotorEasy
The global health crisis that started more than a year ago is apparently worse than ever. But as humanity begins to see the light at the end of the tunnel, some have started to look back at more than twelve months of lockdowns and see what those meant.
In the UK, Europe’s hardest-hit country and one of the most affected in the world, a car warranty provider by the name MotorEasy decided to see what the long periods of mandatory confinement did to vehicles by looking at Google search data.
As per the findings, the top ten problems British car owners were looking for solutions to during the country’s first two lockdowns (Britain is now in its third) includes everything from flat tires to leaking radiators or instructions on how to clean the car or change headlight bulbs.
In all of the above cases, the average monthly searches did not surpass 9,000, but there was a problem for which it jumped to over 41,000: instructions on how to charge a car’s battery.
Prolonged stays without starting the engine are known to cause batteries to drain, and the Google search data for the lockdowns confirm that. Sadly, the battery industry did not provide any numbers to see if the MotorEasy findings are backed by an increase in sales, whether of new batteries or recharging solutions.
“Throughout the three lockdowns, we’ve seen a spike in battery and alternator claims as a result of cars not being used as much. Batteries are not getting the chance to charge up like they would on longer journeys and its putting the entire system under load,” said in a statement Duncan McClure Fisher, CEO at MotorEasy.
“We’re seeing a lot of claims for diesel cars in particular, as they’re engineered to take on longer distance driving. If the diesel particulate filters don’t get the chance to warm up from longer journeys, they clog up, and eventually you'll end up with an engine light flashing and a £1,000 bill.”
As per the findings, the top ten problems British car owners were looking for solutions to during the country’s first two lockdowns (Britain is now in its third) includes everything from flat tires to leaking radiators or instructions on how to clean the car or change headlight bulbs.
In all of the above cases, the average monthly searches did not surpass 9,000, but there was a problem for which it jumped to over 41,000: instructions on how to charge a car’s battery.
Prolonged stays without starting the engine are known to cause batteries to drain, and the Google search data for the lockdowns confirm that. Sadly, the battery industry did not provide any numbers to see if the MotorEasy findings are backed by an increase in sales, whether of new batteries or recharging solutions.
“Throughout the three lockdowns, we’ve seen a spike in battery and alternator claims as a result of cars not being used as much. Batteries are not getting the chance to charge up like they would on longer journeys and its putting the entire system under load,” said in a statement Duncan McClure Fisher, CEO at MotorEasy.
“We’re seeing a lot of claims for diesel cars in particular, as they’re engineered to take on longer distance driving. If the diesel particulate filters don’t get the chance to warm up from longer journeys, they clog up, and eventually you'll end up with an engine light flashing and a £1,000 bill.”
Google News