WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) – The icy cold weather is tough for everyone and for everyone’s cars. The electric components of your car, including those that start it up, can struggle more in chilly temps.
However, there are things you can do days ahead to prevent some cold weather car difficulties.
If you’ve been holding off that trip for maintenance, it might be a good idea to go in. Whether it’s a leaky tire or a light on your dash that likes to stay lit, getting your car serviced before it gets really cold can save you from a stickier, or maybe a better word is colder, situation later.
Auto Select Weston Owner Keith Raasch says they see about twice as many calls for battery issues when the weather gets cold like this.
“Battery health and maintenance is very, very important,” he said. “It affects everything from startability, then you start thinking of your oils in the engines, the thickness of them, obviously they’re going to move slower and colder weather, tire pressures, those sort of things all play key.”
Raasch says they order extra batteries in the fall because of it. A simple test to check the battery and its quality is a quick, easy, and important step in the cold.
“Well if you have a battery that’s weak or compromised based on the age in our climate, the average battery life is 48 to 52 months. So it’s common that you want to keep those batteries tested and make sure that their charging system is intact and working properly,” Raasch said.
Warming up your car before driving won’t just help you stay toasty, it can also help your car run smoother.
“I would say older cars, you start talking 10 years older or somewhere in there, give it a good 10 minutes. Let everything warm. Get that coolant circulating,” Raasch explained.
If your car won’t start, they say to crank the key or engine start button for ten to fifteen seconds to see if it will turn on.
“If it’s not starting in two cycles, there’s probably a concern,” Raasch said. “We’re going to look to make sure there’s no lights and that sort of thing left on. If it just does not crank over, give us a call.”
Your tires are likely to take a hit from the cold too.
“You do get a fluctuation in tire pressure along with TPMS lights, it can be quite the annoyance, but it’s always best to check your tire pressures, especially with this cold weather,” Raasch said.
He also recommends keeping a charged phone on you when driving in the cold in case an emergency does happen. Saving the number for your local repair shop could help escape that cold just a bit faster.
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