Starting Your Car In the Cold

No one wants to deal with a sluggish start on a cold Overland Park morning, so why won’t my car start when it’s cold? There are a wide range of reasons that cars hesitate to start once the temperatures drop in Wichita, but the team at Jaguar Kansas City Certified Pre-Owned & Service is here to help you get your car up and running. Find out how to perform a cold start car jump, and get more service tips at Jaguar Kansas City Certified Pre-Owned & Service.

Why Won’t My Car Start When It’s Cold?

Let’s say your car won’t start when it’s cold, but starts when it’s warm. This could simply be the result of frigid temperatures slowing down your engine temporarily. However, there could be a number of other issues at work:

• Battery Output: When it’s cold, car batteries produce less electricity. This can make it more difficult to start your car.
• Engine Oil: Engine oil must flow easily through the engine to lubricate the parts properly, but when temperatures drop, the oil becomes thicker. This causes the engine and battery to work harder.
• Fuel Line: Moisture can get into the fuel lines, where it freezes and causes blockages. This is particularly important to consider in a diesel engine design.
• Carburetor: Carburetors feature small nozzles that can easily become clogged, preventing moisture from evaporating. Older cars may find this to be a problem in the winter, though newer vehicles are less susceptible to this issue.

How to Start Your Car in the Cold

Now that you know a few reasons why your car won’t cooperate in St. Louis, MO, let’s go over a few methods to start your car in the cold.

• Try turning off all of your electrical systems temporarily. This frees up extra battery power, which might give you the extra power to get your battery going.
• Dip the clutch when you start the engine. This eases up strain on the battery, which gives you a better chance of getting your car started.
• Look for your battery and make sure everything looks normal. Sometimes corrosion or debris builds up on the terminals and cables. If you need help locating your battery, check the owner’s manual or give us a call.
• Check your engine oil. If your oil is low, top it off with a funnel and see if that helps your car work more consistently.

Performing a Cold-Start Car Jump

If your car is truly resistant to starting in the cold, you may need to perform a cold start car jump. What is a cold start car jump? It’s simply a regular jump start performed when the temperatures are freezing. Here are the basic steps:

1. Find a good Samaritan with a working vehicle and locate your jumper cables.
2. Place both cars in park and turn off both engines.
3. Attach one of the red jumper cables to the positive terminal of the good battery.
4. Attach the other red jumper cable to the battery of the car that won’t start.
5. Attach the black jumper cable to the negative terminal on the good battery.
6. Attach the remaining black cable to an unpainted metal surface on your vehicle.

Ask your good Samaritan to start their car and let it run for several minutes. Try to start your car, and see if the engine is working. Once your car starts, remove the cables in reverse order of the steps above. Let your car continue to run for 10-15 minutes to charge the battery.

Service Your Car at Jaguar Kansas City Certified Pre-Owned & Service

If you want stress-free travels throughout St. Louis, MO, be sure to visit our service center to winterize your car properly. Contact us with your questions about getting your car cold-weather ready, and schedule a maintenance visit to make sure your car is ready for anything!