Technology continues to advance, almost weekly it would seem. Those advancements have extended to cars as well. That technology makes taking care of a car much easier. In fact, it even makes a lot of the myths about starting your car in cold weather completely false. But that doesn’t mean you won’t want to follow some cold weather tips for your car. The goal should always be to take care of your car as much as possible. Not only does your car get you around, but it is an investment. You will want to get the most trade-in value, sale value when you’re finished with the car. You will also want whomever you pass the car onto to get the most from the car if that’s the route you choose.
There is not as much to know about starting your car in cold weather as there once was. But there is nothing wrong with going above and beyond.
Starting at the Finish Line
Cold weather can make it a bit more difficult to start your car. However, it is important to note that the age of your car will play a big factor. For example, cars that are under 30 years old are fuel injected engines. That means there won’t be as many issues as before the invention of this type of engine. Still, you will want all of the power from your battery to go towards starting your car. As a result, you will want to turn off all the electronic aspects of your car before you turn off your car. That means the heater, radio, lights, everything you can turn off should be turned off before you turn off your engine. That will make it so that all of the power will go towards starting your car when you do turn it on next.
10 Second Turn Over
The turn over is when you turn your key or push the start button and you hear the engine start to work. The car should turn over, meaning the engine should start within a couple of seconds. But your oil may be too thick and the metal parts may cause too much friction. That means it might take longer for your car to turn over. However, you should never be starting your car in cold weather for longer than 10 seconds. You can let your car rest for a minute if it doesn’t start up right away. Then, try again.
Full Tanks and Warmer Cars
Did you know that your car could need 40% more fuel to start than normal if it gets too cold? That is why it is a very good idea to keep your gas tank as full as possible. You could fill up your gas tank before you go home for the night or you could try keeping your car as warm as possible overnight. There are methods like parking under a big tree or using a car cover overnight. These things will not keep your car normal temperature. However, they will keep your car warmer than if it was just parked in the open overnight.
Simple Fixes
There are a few things you could check if you’re having trouble starting your car in cold weather. First, you will want to start with the battery. You can also check your fuel levels, and oil levels. All of these things could be preventing your car from starting when it is too cold outside. However, most cars have become immune to all of these issues. In fact, you most likely haven’t faced any of these problems at all. But being prepared is part of being a good driver and that is why this is so important.
