Common Car Issues to Face in Winter and What to do When Car Won’t Start in Morning?

Confronting snow and ice during your commute is difficult enough. The winter season’s cold temperatures add (road) salt to the wound and become a nightmare on your vehicle. Cold winter weather can cause some common car issues, from dead car batteries to fuel lines freezing over. An excellent way to avoid these problems is to service your vehicle regularly. Here are some tips for troubleshooting common car issues in winter.

Reasons Why You Face Problems In Starting Your Car On Cold Mornings

Check out the top issues that plague us and ways to avoid these this year.

Car Batteries

The majority of car batteries last for about 4-5 years. Ask your mechanic to conduct a load test on your battery before the temperature decreases. When driving, it is possible to reduce the drain from your battery, reduce the heater’s temperature, and shut off window defrosters when you aren’t using them. Install jumper cables inside your vehicle and make sure that you know how to use them safely.

Thick Engine Oil

When the temperature falls below freezing, fluids like Car engine oil, transmission oil, antifreeze, and other fluids will likely thicken and become less dense. As a result, the fluids are likely to flow less efficiently in the car’s system. To avoid this from happening, professionals suggest that you keep your vehicle’s engine running for at least 10 minutes to get the fluids warmed up. It is also recommended to change your vehicle’s fluids before temperatures begin to drop.

Moistures in Fuel Lines

When the water vapor inside the fuel line gets frozen during cold temperature, it clogs and produces moisture in the lines. This is a problem as it stops fuel from entering the combustion chamber and stops the engine from working. The fastest method to defrost frozen fuel is to use an additive for thawing such as HEET and Quick Thaw. Place a bottle of it within the vehicle’s trunk compartment throughout winter to avoid getting caught out of the loop. You need to ensure your tanks are full so that water vapor doesn’t build up.

Carburetors

Carburetors are especially vulnerable to cold weather, as their tiny nozzles don’t allow moisture to evaporate properly. As a result, the battery can’t provide the necessary current, crucial for the engine to start.

Tips to Start Your Car in Winter Morning

If you can’t start your car in cold weather, here are some easy solutions for starting your car in the cold.

Turn Everything Off

Most of your electrical devices like headlights, heaters, and radios draw battery power. So switching them off prior to starting the vehicle will give your battery a better chance of getting it going. If the engine starts and runs, allow it to run for at least a minute before you switch one of these devices to turn them back on, you risk damaging the battery once more.

Dip the Clutch When Turning On the Ignition

Another sneaky method that can occasionally work is to dip the clutch a bit while you turn on the ignition. This can reduce the work that the battery is required to perform and provide the engine with a better chance of starting even in cold weather.

Check Your Battery Leads

Make sure that the battery in your possession is in excellent health and is equipped with sufficient cold-cranking amps to the location you live in. Your trusted mechanic will check your battery to ensure it is prepared for the winter ahead.

If your cables aren’t corrosive, it’s still recommended to test the tightness of your cables. Loose cables could prevent the current from flowing correctly. If your cables aren’t tight, tighten them before attempting to start the car.

Fill Up Your Engine Oil

If you are still facing ignition issues, check if you are low on engine oil. If the oil in your car is not sufficient, it puts more pressure on the battery to start the engine. If the battery isn’t in good condition initially, you’ll never be able to get it off the threshold. Utilize a dipstick to determine the oil level and, if it’s showing low levels, make sure you top it off before starting the engine.

Jump Start

If your engine won’t turn over or is turning only weakly and you’ve tried everything to fix it, you’ll need to jump-start. Here’s how you can do it:

• Find a quality pair of batteries.
• Set the “donor” vehicle close enough that all cables are within reach.
• Start the donor vehicle and then keep it running through the entire process.
• When both cars are in neutral and their engines off, connect an end of the jumper cable in red to the battery’s positive terminal on your vehicle and the other end to the positive terminal to the battery of your donor car. Then, connect the black end of the jump cable on the terminals for the negative of that battery from the vehicle in question while one end onto a non-painted metal area on your own vehicle. Start the donor vehicle’s engine and let it run until you start your engine.

How to Prevent Such Situation in the Future?

Replace Your Batteries

In winter, it becomes difficult for the battery to produce enough power to begin the vehicle with a cold temperature. Check if your battery is in mint condition. It’s logical to carry out regular battery health checks to ensure that the connections are in good condition and secured leads.

Use Right Engine Oil

Go through your owner’s manual to confirm that you’re using the correct motor oil. The right oil will ensure that it is flowing freely into all the crucial components in your vehicle. You can get it from any top online Autostore.

Regular Checkup of Your Car

For a smooth running of your vehicle, winter or no winter, it is recommended to have regular car check-ups. So that problems can be detected a little earlier.

Final Thoughts

You must prepare beforehand for the winter to avoid wasting your precious time and facing problems early in the morning. It is important to care for car exteriors as we do for car interior accessories. However, if none of the methods works for you, it is advised to call a professional to take a look at your car.