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21 December 2004
BRUSSELS – The recent cold snap has prompted a significant rise in car breakdowns, it was reported on Tuesday.
A total of 2,000 calls were made to breakdown service ‘Touring’ between 6.30 and 10.30 on Tuesday morning, double the normal number of calls for the weekend.
The number of call-outs rose by 50 percent in Wallonia, and by 40 percent in Flanders, according to Touring calculations.
One of the chief causes has been car batteries, which grow weaker in the cold and refuse to start the car.
Every year around 850,000 motorists with defective batteries have to be rescued by Touring.
In one case in two, the battery has to be replaced.
Diesel cars also have particular problems with their heating systems.
[Copyright Expatica 2004]
Subject: Belgian news