Car starting in cold weather is not what you want to do at the start of your day. But it’s a necessary evil. Here are a few tips on how to make the process go more smoothly.
- Pull the car out of the garage and position it so that you have room to work around one side of the vehicle, away from buildings if possible. Park cars parked in front of or behind yours on an angle to allow for some extra space when you’re ready for departure as well as for easy access when assisting others who might need aid with car starting, especially those with physical limitations or assisted by mobility devices like wheelchairs or scooters.
- If you need to warm the engine, turn on lights and accessories for about 5 minutes prior to attempting to start the car.
- Remove all snow, ice, and frost from around the battery and engine area. Use a scraper if necessary. Clear a path from jumper cables if needed (see below). Don’t forget to remove ice and snow from windshield wiper blades. Cracked or broken wiper blades should be replaced before winter weather arrives so they are not a safety hazard when you need them most.
- Start your car for about 3 minutes every week or two in colder weather so that it stays “warmed up.
- Always wear safety glasses, gloves, and boots when working with jumper cables or battery acid.
- If you need additional assistance or if someone else needs to assist you with jump-starting a car: Call for help. If you can’t reach anyone by phone, leave your car running in neutral until help arrives to run the cables. Your auto dealer may be able to assist you by telephone. Or ask at a nearby convenience store, gas station, police station, fire station, public works department or public works garage for assistance so that assistance can be quickly on the scene.
- When leaving your car running in neutral don’t forget to close the doors and securely lock the vehicle so that it isn’t stolen upon return.
- Don’t leave your car running if the battery is more than 10 years old and you’ve been told that it’s time to replace it. A new battery will last 10 times longer than an old battery. Charging your car with jumper cables and a booster charger or solar cell charger (available at many hardware stores) will extend the life and performance of your battery, keeping it warmer and maintaining optimum starting performance during the winter months.
- If you are one of millions of Americans who have a dead or weak battery, buy some jumper cables that can jump-start your car. They’re available in most auto parts stores. Need help? Call AA Auto Repair Service, Inc.
Conclusion
It’s not so easy to start a car in freezing cold weather, but you can make it possible. You’ll have a much easier job if you do it outside, where the temp is above zero degrees. You can also move a car (if possible) so that the cables can get to the battery. Keep an eye on your vehicle from a safe distance and call AAA or anyone else for help if needed. Most important: DON’T TAKE ANY RISKS!