Starting Your Car in the Cold

Cars often have trouble starting in very cold weather due in part to the way a car’s battery or electrical system works. Few things are more frustrating than trying to start your car on a cold Stephenville or Brownwood morning only to find out that it won’t start. 

Why won’t your car start when it’s cold? This could be due to many reasons, so the team at Bayer Auto Group composed this helpful guide as to what might cause a car not to start in the cold and how you can perform a cold-start car jump. 

Learn how to jump your car in the cold by yourself, or rely on the expertise of the service centerat Bayer Auto Group. 

Why Won’t My Car Start When It’s Cold? 

Sometimes, your car won’t start when it’s cold but starts when it’s warm. It could just be the result of the colder temperature’s effects on your vehicle. However, it could also indicate a much more serious problem with your vehicle that may need to be serviced. 

Discover some common reasons why your car won’t start when it’s cold: 

• Battery Output: Car batteries produce less electrical current when it’s cold compared to when it’s warm, so they sometimes aren’t as efficient in the cold. 
• Engine Oil: Engine oil becomes thicker in the cold, meaning that it doesn’t flow through the engine as efficiently as when it’s warm. When this happens, the battery might work harder than normal to get the pistons cranking. That puts additional strain on the battery. If you repeatedly try to crank your engine, it could drain the battery’s juice. 
• Fuel Line: If there’s moisture in the fuel lines, then the water can freeze and cause a fuel line blockage. This prevents fuel from flowing to the engine effectively. If you drive a diesel vehicle, then it’s important to remember that diesel can gel in the cold, taking longer to get to the engine. You can add fuel treatments that can prevent fuel lines from freezing.
• Carburetor: Because of their small nozzles, carburetors can become clogged and can prevent any moisture from evaporating. 

How to Start Your Car in the Cold

Now that you know some of the reasons why your car won’t start in the cold, let’s go over some of the solutions to start up your car and get you back on the Abilene roads. 

Here are some solutions to start your engine in the cold: 

• Turn off all electrical systems and everything else in your vehicle. Wait a few minutes before starting up your car since these systems use up battery power. 
• Push the clutch pedal when starting your ignition. This allows the battery to work less, giving you a better chance of starting your car. 
• Locate your battery, and take a look at the cables to make sure that they are clean of corrosion. Consult your owner’s manual for battery and cable locations. If there is corrosion, clean it as soon as possible. 
• Check to see if your engine is low on oil, and top off your engine with a little bit of oil if you find this to be the case. You can always change your car’s oil when it’s time and replace it with an oil that’s better suited for lower temperatures. 

Performing a Cold-Start Car Jump

If your car isn’t starting during the cold, then you may need to perform a cold start for your car. What is a cold start? A cold start for a car is just like a regular jump-start when your car won’t start. But this one is performed on a car during colder temperatures. 

Here’s how to perform a cold-start car jump: 

1. Make sure that you have jumper cables and a second car that can be started. 
2. Turn off both cars, and make sure they’re parked with the emergency brakes engaged. 
3. Attach one of the red jumper cables to the positive terminal of the good battery on the vehicle that works. 
4. Attach the other red jumper cable to the battery of the car that won’t start. 
5. Attach the black jumper cable to the negative terminal on the good battery.
6. Attach the remaining black cable to an unpainted metal surface on your vehicle to complete the full connection.
7. Start the car up with a good battery, and let it run for a few minutes.
8. Start your car to see if it activates.
9. Once your car has started, remove the cables in the reverse order you put them on the cars.
10. Wait about 10–15 minutes before turning off your car to ensure that your battery is charged up. 

Talk to Us About Car Service at Bayer Auto Group

The Comanche winters can get cold. That’s why Bayer Auto Group is here to help your vehicle stay running properly during the colder months. Contact us or call (325) 356-2541 for any questions, and schedule a service appointment for quick and affordable service. We can help you with a new battery or any service for your vehicle. Want to save some money? Look over our service specials to see what coupons we have.