These guides are written for the way vehicles are used in and around Brisbane: the heat, the storms, the salt water and the weekends away. Each one explains how things work, what goes wrong and what to do about it, whether you’re doing the job yourself or booking an auto electrician.
Car batteries in Brisbane heat
Why batteries die sooner in Queensland, how to test one, and how to choose and look after a replacement.
Storm season electrical checks
Lights, wipers, drains and batteries before the storms, and what to do if your vehicle gets wet.
Boat trailer wiring
7-pin wiring, why salt water kills trailer lights, and how to set up a boat trailer properly.
Dual battery and caravan setups
DC-DC chargers, AGM vs lithium, cable sizing and fusing for trips to Straddie, Moreton, Bribie and K’gari.
Ute and fleet fit-outs
Beacons, work lights, cameras, inverters and second batteries, wired safely and the same across a fleet.
Choosing an auto electrician
Mobile or workshop, specialists, licences, questions to ask and how to compare quotes.
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Guides by area
Some of these guides matter more in some parts of Brisbane than others:
- Bayside and Moreton Bay: boat trailer wiring and dual battery setups
- Trade Coast, southern suburbs and Logan: ute and fleet fit-outs
- inner city: car batteries in Brisbane heat, for cars that sit in basements
- Western suburbs: storm season checks, including what to do after a flood
These guides are general information. High-current wiring, airbags, ABS, engine management and hybrid or EV high-voltage systems should be left to a qualified auto electrician. Find one in the directory.
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Before you work on vehicle electrics
- Disconnect the negative battery terminal before working on wiring, and reconnect it last.
- Replace a blown fuse only with one of the same rating. If it blows again, there is a fault to find, not a fuse to upgrade.
- Many newer vehicles have a battery management system. After a battery change, some need the new battery registered with a scan tool so it charges correctly.
- Hybrid and electric vehicles have high-voltage systems, usually with orange cables. Leave anything near them to a qualified technician.
When to call an auto electrician
Book a professional for warning lights that keep coming back, faults that come and go, anything involving airbags or high-voltage parts, and new circuits such as dual battery systems, brake controllers or extra lighting on a 4WD or caravan. Find one in the Brisbane directory.
More local guides
- Trailer plug wiring guide: 7-pin flat, 7-pin round and 12-pin – Trailer plug wiring for Brisbane trailers: pin charts for 7-pin flat, 7-pin large round and 12-pin plugs, how to replace a plug, common light…