A blast of Arctic air is heading for Ohio, bringing dangerously cold temperatures and potentially plenty of snow.
But does the cold weather drain your car battery? How can you avoid it? And how do you jump-start your car if your battery dies? Here’s what to know.
Does cold weather affect your car’s battery?
Yes, cold weather can drain your car battery.
In low temperatures, the battery can lose power and potentially fail, according to CarParts.com. Cold weather can reduce the capacity of any car battery, including hybrid batteries.
If your car battery already has issues, cold weather can worsen them. Therefore, it’s important to monitor its state in all types of weather and ensure you’re prepared for the harsh winter temperatures.
Why does cold weather drain my car battery?
Your car can encounter several issues that affect its performance in the cold weather:
1. Lower car battery capacity
Notice a temporary stall when you start your car while it’s cold out?
When you start your car, the battery uses a chemical reaction that releases stored power to provide power to crank the engine and get it running. However, the cold weather reduces the movement of charged particles in batteries, lowering capacity and making it harder to start the engine.
If your battery is old, it might struggle to provide enough energy to start the car in low temperatures.
2. Reduced charge rate
The alternator charges your car battery, replenishing energy it uses during startups.
However, because cold weather reduces battery capacity and slows its charging, the alternator requires more time to recharge the battery. If the battery doesn’t get enough charging time, it can deplete.
3. Thickened engine oil
Other car parts are also affected by cold weather, including engine oil.
Engine oil lubricates the internal parts of your car, but when it’s cold outside, the oil thickens, making it difficult for it to flow and help the engine work efficiently.
This affects the car battery because, without flowing oil, it must deliver more power to turn over the engine.
4. Higher power demand
Your car battery has to work extremely hard to run smoothly during cold weather. It must run the engine, heat your car, and defrost your windshield and windows.
Once the engine starts, the alternator takes over, while the battery provides extra power if the alternator can’t meet high demand. In situations where you’re running heat and defrosting your windows, your battery will keep releasing power without getting charged, possibly leaving you with a dead battery.
How to keep your car battery from dying in cold weather
Your car battery can give out in cold temperatures. There are several ways to be prepared, according to CarParts.com.
Jump-starting your car takes a few simple steps
Reviving your dead car battery is a fairly simple process for most drivers. Here’s how to do it:
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Ohio’s frigid winter weather can drain your car battery. Here’s why
Reporting by Mariyam Muhammad, Canton Repository / The Repository
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
