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How to Keep Car Battery From Dying in Cold Weather

How to Keep Car Battery From Dying in Cold Weather

Batteries are more likely to die within the colder winter months than in the summer. This is mainly due to the cold weather slowing down the chemical reaction, which is required in order to make the battery function as normal.

Dead batteries can be a huge pain and it’s important that you try your best to keep them maintained during the cold winter weather.

Below you will find our top tips to keeping your car battery from dying in the cold weather.

Table of Contents

1. Avoid Turning On Accessories Too Early

One of the most common mistakes many people make is switching on all their gadgets before starting the car. Even before the car has been given a chance to start, it’s put under strain. Therefore, you want to pause before turning on accessories and allow your alternator to charge the battery. The same can be said when you are getting out of your car. You will want to avoid using any in-car accessories without having the car running.

2. Keep It Topped Up

If the battery that keeps draining isn’t your daily driver, it may spend days or weeks without charge from the alternator. If it’s losing charge quickly, you may have an electric drain within your car, which you should get checked out.

However, if the car is left for over a week, it’s advised that you keep it topped up. The best way of doing this is to use something known as a battery maintainer. These clever devices automatically keep your battery topped up without overcharging.

3. Check Other Related Components

The car battery may not always be at fault because the car relies on many other components to start the engine. You will want to check over all the battery connections, alternator and anything else that looks “out of the ordinary”. If you own a car diagnostic tool, this would be a great place to start as it pinpoints the exact components at fault.

4. Avoid Regular Short Journeys

Regular short journeys can often result in the battery coming under frequent strain. This is due to the alternator not being given enough time to recharge the battery to its full capacity. If possible, a long drive every so often could do a world of good for your battery. Alternatively, you can invest into a car battery charger to fully recharge the battery.

5. Depress The Clutch

If you are driving a manual, getting in the habit of depressing the clutch whilst starting the engine can help take the strain of the car. This would mean that there is less load upon the battery and more of a chance of it starting the engine.

6. Be Prepared

If the battery is dying in cold weather, it may need a boost, which can be achieved using jumper cables. For peace of mind, we highly advise that you keep a set inside of your car as you will never know when you will next need them. You may also be able to improves someone else’s day by giving them a boost too.

Still No Luck?

If you are still having troubles after following our tips, you may want to get the battery tested. There may be an easy solution that’s more cost effective than replacing the battery altogether. Many people simply chuck away their old batteries not realizing that it may be due to something very simple. From basic battery maintenance, you are able to easily keep your car battery from dying in cold weather.

procarreviews author

Written By Dan

About the Author

Dan is an automotive journalist and owner of over 10 cars ranging from supercars, tuned cars, classics and your good old beater cars. He always likes to get his hands dirty with nut and bolt restorations or detailing sessions using the best products on the market.

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