Cold Weather Car Battery Care Tips

Get it Tested

This is an easy one. Many auto repair shops will offer free battery testing, including AAMCO Minnesota’s Fall Safety Check. Especially if you haven’t gotten a new battery in a couple of years, you want to go into winter knowing your battery can handle the temperature drop. It’s recommended that you get a new battery every 3-5 years, though that will depend on several factors.

If you know it’s been a while, you’re better off safe than sorry when it comes to your car’s battery – head to your local mechanic for simple car battery services ahead of winter. They can do battery load testing to figure out if your current car battery will be able to do its job throughout winter. This way they can catch a dying battery ahead of time so you don’t end up stranded when winter weather hits.

Keep it Warm

Not everyone has a garage in which to park through the winter. But if you do, take advantage of it. Even if the garage is not heated, your car will be out of the harsh winter wind. Think about the difference a strong cold wind has on you when you’re walking in the winter – it’s not so different for your car. Not only will it make your life easier when it’s snowy or icy because you don’t have to clean off your car, but your car will also have an easier time starting up and running.

Clean it Up

Electrical resistance increases with lower temperatures, making your battery work harder than usual. If your car battery is dirty or corroded, that will add to the resistance. You want to make it as easy as possible for your battery to get your car running, so the simplest car battery maintenance you can do is a quick cleaning. All you need is baking soda, water, and a toothbrush.

While you’re in there, you can also make sure everything is tight – having loose connections will also cause problems with how your battery and engine operate.

Get an Oil Change

Not only do cold temperatures have a negative effect on how well your battery operates, but also on your engine’s oil. The lower the temperature, the thicker your oil. This means your engine will be more difficult to get started in the winter – while your car battery is also having to work harder to get your car running.

To help this problem, you can make sure you have the right oil in your car for winter. Look for types with a W in the name, which stands for “winter.” These will help keep your engine operating better as temperatures drop, as they will not thicken up as much as some other varieties of oil.

Be Prepared

Even if you’re heading into winter feeling confident about your car battery, you could easily be caught off guard. You’re better off being prepared for the worst, even when you don’t expect it.

The simplest way to be prepared is by keeping a set of jumper cables in your car. This way you’re ready if you come out to a dead car battery, whether from the cold or leaving your lights on, and all you need is a second car to give you a jump. Jumper cables are good to have on hand no matter the time of year but especially so with harsh Minnesota winter weather.

You can also invest in a car battery charger, which will help charge and maintain your car battery. This will not help if you do not have a place, like a garage, to keep it plugged in with your car; however, if you do have a garage, it can be a lifesaver. If your car battery keeps dying in the winter but you just can’t quite get around to buying a new battery yet, this can keep your old battery going a bit longer.