Batteries, starters, alternators and the wiring between them — load-tested, traced and fixed by Red Seal technicians who do auto electrical all day, every day.
Free battery test · Red Seal technicians · 24-month / 40,000 km warranty · 4.9 from 512 reviews
System test · Bay 2Probe on
BatteryStartingChargingDrainBlock heater
12.62 V
At rest, engine off. 12.4 V or more is a charged battery — then a load test proves its cold-cranking amps.
12.62 VAt rest, engine off. 12.4 V or more is a charged battery — then a load test proves its cold-cranking amps.
10.2 VWhile cranking. Above 9.6 V means the battery and starter are pulling together; we read the draw in amps too.
14.3 VIdling with the lights, fan and defrost on. 13.8 to 14.7 V means the alternator is keeping up.
22 mAKey off, doors shut, modules asleep. Under 50 mA is normal — more, and something flattens the battery overnight.
410 WPlugged in at the grille. A good element draws close to its rating; zero means the cord or the element has failed.
Clean terminals. Strong starts.
SEC 02Services
Every circuit, tested.
Eight jobs, one discipline: measure first. Every price is installed, for most cars and light trucks, in Canadian dollars before GST and PST.
J1
Batteries & cold starts
A load test, not a glance at a voltmeter. Batteries fitted with the terminals cleaned, torqued and sealed, and the old one recycled.
From $189 · 30 min
J2
Alternators & charging
Output measured under load with the lights, fan and defrost on. Rebuilt or new units, tested again before you leave.
From $449 · 2 hrs
J3
Starters
A click, a slow crank or nothing at all. We measure the voltage drop and the draw before we condemn a starter.
From $389 · 2 hrs
J4
Parasitic drains
A battery that is flat every few days usually has something staying awake. We find it circuit by circuit, meter in line.
From $149 · 1–2 hrs
J5
Wiring & grounds
Corroded grounds, chafed harnesses, chewed wires and water in connectors — traced and repaired to the original standard.
$129 an hour · diagnosis
J6
Lights & bulbs
Headlights, daytime running lights, trailer wiring, and the warning light nobody has been able to explain.
From $59 · 20 min
J7
Block heaters & cords
Cords, elements and battery blankets tested and replaced before the first minus-thirty morning catches you out.
From $79 · 1 hr
J8
Remote starters
Fitted so they never drain the battery or upset the immobiliser, with a two-way fob that tells you it started.
From $449 · 3 hrs
SEC 03Readings & reviews
Measured before. Measured after.
4.9
from 512 Google reviews
Drain 480 mA→22 mA
Two shops sold me batteries. Current found the drain — a glovebox light that never switched off. $140, and it starts every morning now.
Shauna K.2016 Ford Escape · parasitic drain
Charging 12.9 V→14.3 V
The alternator was barely charging. They rebuilt it the same day and showed me the new number on the meter before I paid.
Arjun P.2014 Ram 1500 · alternator
Block heater: open→410 W
My block heater cord shorted at minus thirty-four. Replaced and tested before my lunch break was over.
Lorraine M.2019 Honda CR-V · block heater
Cranking 8.7 V→10.4 V
It clicked and died in a parking lot at minus twenty-eight. They tested the starter and the battery separately, found a corroded ground strap, and charged me for a strap — not a starter.
Dev R.2011 Mazda3 · no start
SEC 04How a visit works
Measured before anything is replaced.
CH1 · your visit
T + 0:00
Book, and drop it off
Book online or call. The car waits in a heated bay, so we test it the way it starts on a cold morning.
T + 0:20
We measure
A load test, charging and starter readings, and a scan of every module for stored faults.
T + 0:45
You approve
The readings, photos and a written estimate arrive by text. Nothing is replaced until you say yes.
T + 2:30
Fixed and re-measured
Repaired, road-tested and measured again — the new numbers printed on your invoice.
Why Current
Four things, every time.
Behind every cold-morning start at minus thirty is a battery, a starter and a charging system someone took the time to test properly.
The test is free
Battery, charging and starting, measured in ten minutes, whether or not you buy a thing.
Readings on every invoice
The numbers before and after, printed, so you can see the repair worked.
Diagnosis before parts
We don’t sell a battery to a car with a drain. We find the cause first.
24 months · 40,000 km
Parts and labour, in writing. New batteries add their maker’s replacement warranty.
SEC 06Rates & winter packages
The rate card.
Most cars and light trucks, in Canadian dollars before GST and PST. Your estimate uses the same lines with your car’s parts priced in — and the test that comes first is free.
IMG_01Every circuit traced back to its fuseIMG_02Warning lights read, and explainedIMG_03Old cars too — six volts or twelveIMG_04Remote-start fobs, programmed and testedIMG_05Modules scanned before anything is unplugged
SEC 08The crew
Three people, one meter each.
Auto electrical is all we do, so the person testing your car has traced this fault before — usually this month.
Datasheet01
Owen Friesen
Lead technician · Red Seal
Eighteen Winnipeg winters on starting and charging. Owen built the heated test bay because a battery tested warm tells you nothing.
Datasheet02
Priya Dhaliwal
Technician · Red Seal
Drains, modules and network faults. Priya will find the glovebox light that has been flattening your battery for a month.
Datasheet03
Mateo Klassen
Apprentice · third year
Block heaters, remote starters and lighting. Mateo is the one who walks you to your car with the printout.
Heated drop-off in bay 1 — the car warms up indoors before we test it.
Plug-ins at every stall, so an overnight drop-off still starts in the morning.
Key drop beside the office door, open around the clock.
SEC 10Questions
Questions we answer every day.
Q.01My battery is only three years old. Why did it die?
Short trips, a parasitic drain or a weak alternator can kill a good battery early. We test all three before we sell you a new one — often the battery isn’t the problem.
Q.02Is the battery test really free?
Yes. A load test, charging and starter readings and a printout, in about ten minutes. You don’t need to book for it, though booking skips the line on a cold Monday.
Q.03Battery or alternator — how do you tell?
We measure both on the car: the battery at rest and under load, the alternator at idle with everything switched on. The numbers settle it, and you see them.
Q.04Why do block heater cords fail?
The rubber hardens and cracks at minus thirty, and the plug end gets driven over. We test the cord and the element separately so you only replace what failed.
Q.05Will a remote starter drain my battery or affect my warranty?
Not when it is fitted properly. We use a bypass module made for your car, wire it to the factory standard and measure the draw before you leave.
Q.06Do you work on hybrids and electric cars?
Their 12-volt systems, accessories and lighting, yes — and most hybrid no-starts are the small battery. High-voltage pack work we refer to a specialist and tell you who.
Q.07What warranty do you give?
24 months or 40,000 km on parts and labour, whichever comes first. New batteries carry their maker’s replacement warranty on top.
SEC 11Book
Book an electrical check.
Tell us what the car is doing and when suits you. We’ll call back to confirm a time — and call again before any work you haven’t approved. Prices in Canadian dollars, plus GST and PST.
