Q: My old Camry sometimes has a flat battery, even when I have left nothing on. What is wrong with it?
A: Our auto electrician says you typically have one of two causes: either a cable worked loose on the battery, which is easily tightened. Or on a car that’s 10 years old, the little copper contacts in the controller of your alternator have been worn down to the point where they are no longer making sufficient contact to charge the battery while you drive. Depending on model the unit costs in the region of R200 at most spares shops, and any mechanic can screw it into place in about five minutes.
