What to When Your Vehicle Won’t Start in Cold Weather
Cold can impact many facets of your life from how many layers you should be wearing, to the thickness of the coat you have on, how long you feel comfortable being outside to what kinds of outdoor activities you are able to do. Your vehicle also feels the effects of winter weather and might respond by not starting for you in the morning after a long cold night parked outside.
If your car isn’t starting, one option is to call for a tow and wait for tech to arrive. A faster option is to carry your own set of jumper cables and find another driver with a well-running vehicle to give you a jump to start up your car. Here’s what you need to do:
How to Jump Start a Vehicle
- Begin by parking the running vehicle as close to the one with the dead battery as possible, preferably putting them head-to-head. The battery is usually under a plastic cover and located on one side of your engine. You might have to remove the plastic cover on some vehicle models to be able to reach the terminals. Other models may have different specific points for jump-starting. It’s best to check your owner’s manual for specifics regarding your vehicle.
- Connect the positive (“+”) jumper cable to the positive terminal on the good battery, and then to the positive terminal on the dead battery, followed by the negative (“-“) connections.
- Next, start the running vehicle and let it run for a few minutes while revving the engine to a higher RPM. Attempt to start the car with the dead battery, if you aren’t getting a response, check again to ensure the cables are firmly attached. If the vehicle still doesn’t start after trying several times, it’s time to call for service.
If your battery is older than four years, you should consider replacing the battery to correct the problem. Be sure to get the correct battery size and type for your vehicle, as recommended in your owner’s manual.
The skilled auto repair technicians at AAMCO Lee’s Summit can help solve your vehicle’s battery issues as well as provide you with all of the maintenance and repair services your vehicle requires.
