7 Things You Need in Your Car Emergency Kit

January 26, 2022 by Hardik K

Any unforeseen situation can lead you and your vehicle stranded on the road. For this reason, emergency attentiveness is important, especially, for the harsh and extreme climatic conditions in Canada. You must keep an emergency kit to handle unanticipated car breakdowns.

Here is where your car emergency kit would come in handy.

Here are the 7 things that must be a part of your car emergency kit.

1. Emergency Battery Booster

A dead battery is a common problem encountered by most vehicle owners in Canada.
To solve the problem of a dead battery in Canada, having a powerful emergency battery booster is crucial.
It can charge your car’s battery if the battery is completely dead and your vehicle fails to start.
An emergency battery booster must be fully charged before you put it in the vehicle.

2. LED Flashlight with Extra Batteries

Whether you need tire change and replacement due to a flat tire or if you want to inspect a problem under the hood in the dark, an LED flashlight will really come in handy.
Old batteries in the flashlight may fail to work during the cold. Hence, it is best to put some spare batteries in your car emergency kit.

3. Smartphone Car Charger

If something goes wrong on the road, a fully charged mobile phone will be a blessing to call some emergency numbers for help. For example, you may call a service center for an emergency battery booster.
For keeping your smartphone charged up in case of emergencies, having a USB car charger with the right cord is a big lifeline.

4. First Aid Kit

Many unexpected situations may need more than just a painkiller medicine or bandage.
You must have a first aid kit in your vehicle containing antiseptic wipes, antibiotic ointment, band-aids, crepe bandages, triangular bandages, hand-gloves, scissors, gauze pads/rolls, etc.

5. Tire Change and Replacement Equipment

During your travel, you need to be prepared for an emergency tire replacement.
Be it any season, you need to have all the tools and equipment for a smooth tire change and replacement.
Your tire change and replacement tools should include jack, wheel wrench, extension bar, lug wrench, and wheel nut adapter.
Of course, you need to also ensure that the spare tire is present in your vehicle.

6. Roadside Assistance Documents

If you require any roadside assistance like towing the car, tire change and replacement, or emergency battery booster, Urban Lube provides emergency roadside assistance services round-the-clock to ensure an uninterrupted journey.
All you need to do is register for the roadside assistance program from Urban Lube and keep the documents handy with you.
You may also call them to give you emergency services.

Guide to Use Booster Pack To Jumpstart Your Car

December 15, 2021 by Hardik K

Winter is that time of the year when the problem of a dead battery is quite common with car owners living in Canada. If the battery is relatively old, an onsite vehicle battery replacement is the perfect option.

What if the battery is relatively new? Do you still need a mobile battery replacement?

If your car battery is in relatively good condition, an emergency battery booster can get it running.

What is a Battery Booster Pack?

A battery booster pack provides a jump to a dead battery at a safe voltage without the risk of damaging any components.
Using a battery booster is safe as it generates less voltage, and the risk of sudden voltage spike can be avoided.

Using the Emergency Battery Booster to Jump Start a Car

Step 1: Ensure That the Booster Pack is Fully Charged

For jump starting your car, the battery booster should be in the charged condition.
It needs to be charged at least once in 6 months.

Step 2: Position the Booster Pack Correctly

The battery booster needs to be positioned in, such as way that the jumper cables/wires easily reach the discharged battery in the car.

Step 3: Turn Off Everything

Before connecting the cables, it is crucial to turn off everything, i.e. both the car and the booster pack to prevent damage to any electrical components.

Step 4: Connect the Jumper Clamps Carefully

Open the hood to locate the battery terminal.
Attach the red (positive) jumper clamp to the positive terminal (red) of the dead battery.
Connect the black (negative) jumper clamp to an unpainted, non-moving metal part of the car instead of the negative terminal of the dead battery. This will ensure a safe jump-start.
Clamps connected from the booster battery to the car should be tight enough.

Step 5: Turn on The Booster Pack

Once the clamps of the jumper cable are attached firmly to the battery, it is time to start the booster pack.

Step 6: Start Your Car

Once you start the booster pack, you can try starting the car as well.
If the engine does not start immediately, and you hear a cranking sound, wait for 5 seconds and try again.
This would ensure that your car battery is getting maximum current from the booster pack.

Step 7: Turn Off the Booster Pack and Remove the Cables

Once the car starts, switch off the battery booster.
Remove the negative clamp first, followed by the positive one.

Even after trying this method, your car doesn’t start; you need onsite vehicle battery replacement.

Book an appointment with Urban Lube for a battery booster and mobile battery replacement.

Cold Weather Making the Car Battery Dead

November 24, 2021 by Hardik K

The cold weather brings a lot of problems for car batteries. There are several Canadians who go for an emergency battery booster or mobile battery replacement during winter. Do you know what could be the reason for this?

Cold weather negatively impacts the performance of the car battery, making it difficult to start the engine. It is not only about poor performance. Cold weather can severely damage a car battery beyond repair, making a mobile battery replacement inevitable.

How Does Cold Weather Result in a Dead Battery?

Car batteries can go dead at any time of the year. However, mobile battery replacement is extremely common during winter in Canada.
The main role of a battery is to provide power to start the engine.
The lead-acid car battery has two electrodes: positive and negative. There are lead plates immersed inside the liquid electrolyte solution.
Chemical reactions take place inside the battery that produces the electric charge required to power the engine.
When the temperature goes below freezing in countries like Canada, the chemical reactions occurring in the battery slow down. As a result, a higher voltage (charge) is needed to start the car.
As the battery gets older, there is natural deterioration happening due to internal corrosion. It becomes difficult for the battery to deliver a higher charge during cold weather.
In cold weather, a car battery can use nearly two times the current than what it would use at normal temperature to start the engine.
Cold weather does not reduce the life of the car battery, it makes it completely dead.
As the temperature drops below 0^oC, the liquid inside the battery starts freezing, causing irreversible damage.
Due to the impact of freezing temperatures, even the capacity of the new battery gets knocked off completely, making mobile battery replacements.
On any cold and chilly winter morning, you may find yourself stuck on the road because your car won’t start due to a completely dead battery.
Going for a mobile battery replacement or an emergency battery booster is the only way to start your car.

Precautionary Measures To Avoid a Dead Battery in Winter

If you feel the battery is losing power or giving a sluggish start, go for a mobile battery replacement
Get the battery inspected regularly for corrosion and electrolyte levels.
Park your car in the garage or underground parking.
Don’t keep your car idle. Drive for at least 10 – 15 km a week to keep the battery in good shape.
Consider using a battery charger as an emergency battery booster.
Avoid using the radio, air conditioner, and lights in the car during winter.
If the battery is really old, mobile battery replacement can ensure complete peace of mind during the winter.

Book an appointment to boost your vehicle battery today!

Read Next Blog:

How to Prevent Common Fleet Breakdowns?

Common Signs That Indicate You Need Battery Replacement

February 22, 2021 by Hardik K

Car owners have to think about maintaining so many different auto components such as:

Warranty approved oil change
Oil filter change
Tire change and replacement
Brake fluid change
Power steering fluid check
Coolant (Anti-freeze) replacement

Is something missing in the above list? Yes, the car battery.

Most vehicle owners in Canada tend to overlook their car battery. However, it is a crucial component of a car and cannot be ignored. It is the driving force to start a car and supplies power to all electronic components in the car. Whether it is the lights or the air conditioning system, or even the radio, everything will fail to run without a fully functional battery. The battery can be rightly called the heart of a vehicle.

Imagine you are in the middle of the road and find that the car does not start even when you give the ignition. You wouldn’t want to be in such an awkward situation, right? This is the reason why it is essential to get your battery checked regularly. Otherwise, you may end up going in for an onsite vehicle battery replacement in an emergency.

Here are three common warning signs that indicate you need a mobile battery replacement right away.

1. Difficulty in Starting The Car

A healthy battery has the power to start a car when you turn the key after putting it in the ignition even in lower temperatures of Canada.
If you hear a clicking sound and the car takes more time to start, it may indicate a weak car battery.
It may also be due to a fault in the starter.
If this happens frequently, it is better to get your car inspected for a possible fault in the battery.

2. Corrosion on Battery Terminals

Vehicle owners need to be proactive in checking the battery condition rather than waiting for the battery to show signs that it is time for a mobile battery replacement Regina.
All you need to do is check the positive and negative terminals of the battery under the hood for corrosive build-up.
If you see a blue or yellow coloured crusty film deposit on either electrode of the battery, it indicates corrosion.
Corroded terminals reduce the voltage of the battery due to which your car may fail to start and you would need onsite vehicle battery replacement.

3. Obnoxious Odour

A damaged car battery can release hydrogen sulphide gas.
If you get a rotten egg smell inside the hood, it indicates a battery leak.
In such a case, you need to get the battery checked without any delay, and most probably go for mobile battery replacement.

Contact us to book a battery inspection, booster, or replacement.

Read Next Blog:

6 Common Winter Car Problems in Canada

Common Causes of Steering Wheel Vibration That You Must Know

January 21, 2021 by Hardik K

Steering wheel vibration or shaking is a cause of concern for any vehicle owner. You control your car on the road through a steering wheel. A vibrating steering wheel is an indicator that there is something wrong with your vehicle. It can be a worn out part or misaligned wheels or even issues with the brakes. There might be several reasons responsible for your driving wheel vibration. It is essential for you to identify the exact cause so that it can be fixed without aggravating the problem further.

Here are Some of the Common Causes of Steering Wheel Vibration:

1. Imbalanced Tires and Wheels

The steering wheel is used to control the movement and direction of wheels and tires on the road while driving.
The most common cause of steering wheel vibration is the wheels and tires of your vehicle that have fallen out of balance.
Wheel balancing is the process of adding some extra weights to the wheel after the tires have been installed. This ensures that the combined weight of all tires and wheels in a vehicle is equalized giving seamless functioning on the road.
Problem with wheel and tire balancing usually causes your steering wheel to vibrate more at higher speeds and gradually subsides as the speed is reduced.
The problem can easily be fixed by getting your tires and wheels balanced from a tire change and replacement company near you.

2. Worn Out Components in the Braking System

If the steering wheel is vibrating only while braking during low or high speed, a damaged braking system component is most likely to be the cause of this.
Damaged components of the braking system like brake pads, brake rotors, or brake callipers may cause steering wheel vibration.
While driving (specifically during braking) if you notice that the steering wheel is vibrating continuously or your vehicle is getting slightly tilted to the side, or your brake pedal is vibrating, it is necessary to get your vehicle inspected.

3 Wheel Bearing Problems

A wheel bearing is a key component of your wheel assembly that connects the wheel and axle together.
It makes the hub and the wheel assembly function in synchronization with each other.
With time, as you drive your vehicle, the wheel bearings lose their effectiveness and ultimately wear out.
A worn out wheel bearing causes the wheel to become loose leading to steering wheel vibration.
It is vital to get such worn out wheel bearings replaced by a professional mobile tire changing service

The steering wheel vibration problem is something that cannot be overlooked. It will only get worse with time. Hence, it is essential to get the problem diagnosed and corrected by a professional company like Urban Lube.

Urban Lube is a leading tire change and replacement company. In addition to the tire change, it offers multiple other services like oil change, battery change and booster, etc. For more details, explore the site.

How to Boost a Car Battery with a Booster Pack?

January 30, 2020 by Hardik K

The traditional way to boost a dead battery is using a jumper cable. However, the latest vehicles do not support this method of boosting the battery. Read on to learn about the smart way of boosting a car battery.

The latest method of boosting a dead battery is a battery booster pack, which is also known as a power pack. It provides low power for long periods which not only boosts the battery, but it also assures to not damage any electrical components of the car. This type of car battery booster can be used to boost a slightly discharged battery.

Stepwise Guide To Boosting Car Battery With A Booster Pack:

1. Position The Car

Position the car in a way that cables can easily reach the discharged battery.

2. Switch Off Electrical Accessories

Switch off all electrical accessories and lights of the car.

3. Connect Clamps

The next step is to connect clamps. Connect the negative clamp to the chassis grounding point or to the metallic engine component. Connect the positive clamp to the positive terminal of your car battery. A majority of cars show a warning light, in case, the connection is made in a reverse manner which is wrong. If you see the warning light, reverse the order of the connection.

4. Start Vehicle Now

Start your vehicle now. If your car starts in the first attempt, your battery booster process with the battery pack is performed. However, if the car does not get started, you need to wait for a minute before trying to start it again.

5. Remove Clamps

Once the car is started, you are done. The next step is removing the clamps. Please remove the negative cable, followed by the positive cable.

This process boosts your car battery and will get you going. When you are performing a car battery booster in the Canada process, make sure to read instructions on the battery pack. If there are some instructions on the booster pack, follow the same. Following these instructions will assure that you do not damage any electrical components of your car.

Also, once the battery of your car is boosted, you must boost the booster pack so you can use it again, as and when needed.

If even after performing battery booster if your car does not start, test the battery to see if there is any hope to start it again by following the below-mentioned steps:

Switch on the dorm light and try to start the car again. If it dims, you have the hope to boost the battery.
Check the voltage of your battery, if you have the required tools to do that.

If you see, none of the signals shows any possibility of boosting the battery, you need to replace it with the help of a professional.