Trouble Starting the Car in Winter

Winter conditions prove harsh to vehicles.

Winter weather is hard on your car, and sometimes the vehicle may not want to start. The problem may be with your battery, the antifreeze or even the way you try to start your car. The key to getting a car moving in extreme conditions is to take it slow, start the car properly and let it warm up before making the engine work. This with a good dose of preventative maintenance may keep you car from throwing a fit each time you try to start it in the winter.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Read your user's manual to determine to best procedures for starting your car in the winter and make sure you follow those recommendations. According to Smart Motorist, AAA responds to quite a few incidents where the driver simply attempted to start the vehicle in an improper manner. Some recommendations do not apply to all vehicles. For example, if you have a fuel-injected vehicle, you don't want to pump the gas pedal before attempting to start it, as this could flood the engine. On the other hand, if your car has a carburetor, depress the accelerator once and let up before turning the key.

2. Turn off all accessories in the vehicle to allow the car to pull more power from the battery to start. Turn off your radio, heater, lights and any other accessories you have on.

3. Turn your key in the ignition and hold for about 20 seconds, but no more. If the engine does not turn over, wait about two minutes and try again.

4. Ask for a jump-start to your battery if your engine still will not start. Your battery is likely too weak to get your car to start.

5. Run the engine for two minutes before attempting to drive the car. Start out slowly on your journey and do not accelerate quickly until the engine warms up.

Tips & Warnings

• In the winter, you want to use engine oil that is a little thinner than what you normally would use. Consult your user's manual for the recommendations for your vehicle in the winter. Thinner oil will not thicken as much in the winter, making it easier for the oil to circulate in the engine.

• In the winter, in particular in extreme climates you may want to increase your anti-freeze and water mixture from the normal recommendation 50/50 to 70/30 to help prevent it from freezing.

• During the winter, you will want to keep your gas tank as least halfway full according to Smart Motorist; this will help prevent your gas tank from freezing over and hindering the starting capabilities of your vehicle.

• Never warm up your car in a garage or other enclosed space. This can cause carbon monoxide poisoning, which could be fatal.

References

• Smart Motorist: Starting Your Car In Extremely Cold Conditions
• Smart Motoris: Winter Driving Tips

Resources

• AAA: Winter Car Care Tips