In last week‘s post, we explained what cold weather could do to hurt, or stall your vehicle. Today, we’re going to go over some of the steps you can take to make sure your car always starts when it gets chilly. There are three methods most people implement. We’ll cover two of those today. For more information about new or used vehicles, contact your Ed Payne Rio Grande Valley car dealership.
Method #1
First, you’ll want to make sure your car stays warm. How can you do this? One tip we can offer is to keep your car inside a garage, or shelter it under a carport. If you don’t have any access to these, then parking under a tree or by a building could make a pretty good substitute. Also, we recommend that you go out and buy a battery or block heater in case you find shelter from the cold, wintery air.
Next, you should make sure you are always using the right type of oil for your car! The best way to find out what type of oil your vehicle should be ingesting is by reading through the owner’s manual. With the right type of oil, especially the modern kind, you will ensure that the liquid remains in a state of constant flow, therefore removing any chances of a possible freeze-up. If you’re not quite sure of the best type of oil for your vehicle, your nearest Ed Payne Rio Grande Valley car dealership may be able to help.
Lastly, avoid any type of fuel issues. What does this mean? Well, in most cases, your local auto part store, or gas station, will have a couple items in stock that will help fight against fuel-line freezing, and gelling (only in vehicles that have diesel additives.) For gasoline cars, you’ll want to look for a bottle of dry-gas, and fuel conditioner for those that have diesel.
Method #2
Okay. From here, you’re going to attempt to get the vehicle to turn on.
The first thing you’re going to want to try is to turn off all electrical accessories. This means that the headlights, heater and other types of electronic equipment should be completely shut down. Why? You’re battery is going to have to have all of it’s juices focused on powering your vehicle.
At this point, you are going to turn the key in the ignition and let the engine crank for a bit. If you’re lucky, then the car will come to life, but if it doesn’t immediately happen, don’t get discouraged. Crank it for a few more seconds, and then stop. Follow this by waiting for a few minutes. More than likely, in this time, things in your vehicle will begin to loosen up! Once those few minutes pass by then give it a try.
For those of you that have an old vehicle, or a carbureted car, you’ll probably want to give a bit of a dosage of starter fluid. It’s not exactly the best thing to depend on, but, in most situations it’ll get things going in a snap.
For more information about how to maintain your new or used vehicle, take a look at our Ed Payne Rio Grande Valley car care blog or visit your local Ed Payne Rio Grande Valley car dealership.
