Cold weather can lead to dead batteries
Published 3:06 pm Tuesday, January 22, 2019
CHARLOTTE – Emergency Roadside Service calls have been through the roof for AAA Carolinas. The arctic blast brought freezing temperatures overnight resulting in car issues – mostly battery – for motorists across both states.
At a comparatively mild 32 degrees, a car’s battery is 35 percent weaker than at warmer temperatures. At 0 degrees, a car’s battery loses approximately 60 percent of its strength. As the air outside cools, the oil in the car thickens, making it harder to turn the engine over.
AAA Carolinas recommends the following tips to motorists for battery maintenance:
• Get it checked. Have the battery and electrical system inspected by a trusted mechanic prior to extreme temperatures. This will prevent you from any surprises before you start your day.
• Get it tested. Every six months is a good guideline for how often you should have your battery tested, especially if it’s more than a few years old. This ensures that its available starting power stays at appropriate levels.
• Switch it off. Not the battery, of course, but the lights, heater and wipers. If you switch your engine off but leave one of these items on, there will be an unnecessary drain on your battery.
• Practice moderation. Love your heated seats and heated screens? Enjoy them, but not for longer than you have to. They use a lot of battery power. Also, keep in mind that phone chargers and other electronic devices may drain the battery if left connected.
• Park in the garage. If you have the option, use it.
AAA Carolinas also recommends that motorists:
• Check the tires — They should always be inflated to their specified poundage and have enough tread to handle all road conditions. To check tire tread, look for “wear bars” that periodically run across the hollow of each tread. If the tread has been worn down to the same height as the wear bar, it’s time for new tires.
• Check the windshield wipers, fluid and defroster — Driving with a wet, snow- or ice-covered windshield invites a crash. Make sure wipers and the defroster are in good working order. Verify that windshield washer fluid reservoirs are filled with no-freeze washer fluid.
• Check the engine coolant system — Mix the cooling system antifreeze with an equal portion of water for maximum protection. Have a repair facility check the level of protection with a hydrometer.
• Pack an emergency car kit — Motorists should be prepared in case they are stranded. A winter emergency car kit should contain a flashlight with extra batteries, jumper cables, general first aid kit, tire chains, blanket, extra set of clothes, non-clumping kitty litter for traction, flares or reflective triangles, cell phone with extra batteries, gallon jug of water, non-perishable food items, window washer solvent, ice scraper, snow brush and shovel.