Starting a car in winters , especially in the coldest areas, is more complicated than in places with average or high temperatures. Even if you take a trip to territories with difficult storms, you will also have some difficulties. For this reason, it is important to know how to start a car when it is cold through a series of tips so that you can drive safely on the road.
There are a few factors that any driver needs to know in order to start a vehicle from cold. In this way, you can face adverse weather without needing the help of roadside assistance or being forced to use public transport. To discover how to start a car when it’s cold , at OneHOWTO we recommend that you continue reading this article.
Turn off the interior appliances of the car
Avoid losing the battery , turn off all devices inside the vehicle. This way you save as much energy as possible as the battery will work hard to start the car from cold.
The lights, the radio, the air conditioning and the wiper blade motors are the elements that use the most electrical energy in the car. Experts suggest that you reset the air controls, remove the front of the radio and disconnect the windscreen wiper control.
Turn off the interior and exterior lights of the car as well, as well as check that other extra elements of the vehicle are not activated, such as the heating of the seats.
Step on the clutch to start the car
Press the clutch pedal fully to start the car cold even if your vehicle allows you to start it without the need to use the clutch. By decoupling the transmission from the car, the starter must move less weight to get the engine moving.
Pressing the clutch to start the car is a good habit even if you are in an area of ??medium or high temperature, since it favors energy savings and less wear on the starter motor.
Heat the battery
If you’re wondering “Why won’t my car start cold?” you may need to warm up the battery first. This is a very useful tip when you find yourself in extremely cold temperatures. The main drawback is that it requires the necessary to heat water in a bag or cloths. To heat the cloths, use an iron and the microwave or a saucepan to heat water and put it in an airtight bag.
Another trick to heat the car battery is to use a hair dryer , but do not get too close to the battery: leave at least 15 cm away. In any case, use the method that is most comfortable for you as long as you do not wet the battery, do not bring fire or any flame near it, or exceed the maximum temperature allowed by the battery.
Avoid turning the key for more than 5 seconds
Another tip on how to start the car during winters is not to force the battery too much to start it. That is why it is important that you do not turn the key for more than 5 consecutive seconds: if it does not start in that time, wait 30 seconds and try again .
By waiting those 30 seconds to try to start the car again, you ensure that the battery does not lose energy since it delivers maximum power during the first few seconds. Afterwards, it loses power if you keep the key turned. Therefore, it is convenient that you let it rest so that it recovers 100% of its power a few seconds later.
Diesel engines: turn on the glow plugs 2 or 3 times
How to start a diesel engine when it’s cold? Diesel engines need heaters to start in low temperatures. These heaters are responsible for heating both the air and the combustion chamber of the engine, thus facilitating its start. This is especially important in sub-zero temperatures.
Starting the car in winters without diesel heaters
Starting a car without diesel heaters is difficult in extremely low temperatures, especially when parked outside. In this case, you might find these tips helpful this case.
- Move the car inside . If time permits, move it to a sheltered place and leave it to warm up. Then follow some of the tips above.
- Heat the battery . In emergency circumstances, some people resort to the method of heating the battery, but taking into account the entire engine compartment. This process requires more elements to heat and a greater effort. Also, if the cold is extreme, it is a method that does not offer guarantees of success.
Park the car in a protected place
Another tip about how to start a car when it’s cold is to choose the most suitable place to park the car, even if it’s on the street. Park in places protected away from the cold could help a few degrees of temperature. The warmer the engine compartment, easier to start a car in winters.
Position your car with its back to the wind instead of in the nose position, this also helps. This way, you ensure that the engine or battery doesn’t suffer when you start your car at low temperatures. In this post we give you more tips on How to take care of the car in winter .
Take advantage of the light of street lighting
Wondering how to cold start a car with a carburetor? Another tip to start a car in winter lower temperature months is to park it under public lighting. This is another way to increase its temperature a few degrees, so it will also help you. Park near a light source and take advantage of streetlights or any other light source of a certain intensity.
Keep the battery charged
Having a fully charged battery is another of the best tips for starting your car cold. It’s pretty simple, just run your engine around circulates at 2500 rpm for approximately 45 minutes.
In the worst case scenarios that you can’t move your car, you might want to use a battery charger. To help you, in the following article we tell you how to charge the car battery.
Tips after starting the car
Once you manage to start the car in winters, you will have achieved the most difficult part and you will be able to stay calm: your car is already running. Even so, it is convenient to know the following tips to drive safely:
- Check the tire pressure so that they are adapted to low temperatures.
- Use suitable tires so that they offer grip and traction even in low temperatures and slippery roads.
