Cold doesn't kill batteries. It exposes them.
A car battery makes power through a chemical reaction, and cold slows that reaction down. On a frosty morning the battery has less to give, right when the engine needs more: cold oil is thicker, so the starter has to work harder to turn the engine over.
A healthy battery has enough in reserve to cover the gap. A battery that's been weakened by age, summer heat, or a lot of short trips doesn't. It may have been getting by all summer, then the temperature drops overnight and it can't start the car. That's why dispatch gets so many battery calls in the first cold week of the year, in Ann Arbor, in Ypsilanti, and everywhere in between.
Warning signs your battery is close to the end
Batteries rarely die without warning. Watch for these, especially in October and November:
- A slow, dragging crank. The engine turns over more slowly than usual before it catches, worst on cold mornings.
- Dim headlights or dash lights when the engine is off or just starting.
- Clicking when you turn the key or press the start button, with the engine not turning at all.
- The battery or charging light coming on while you drive.
- White or blue-green crust on the battery terminals.
- A swollen or bulging case, or a rotten-egg smell near the battery. Both mean the battery should be replaced, not jumped.
- Age. If the battery is four or more years old and you don't know its history, it's worth having it tested before winter.
What to do when your car won't start
- Listen when you turn the key. Rapid clicking with dim lights points to the battery. A single loud click with bright lights points more toward the starter. Silence and no lights at all usually means a fully dead battery or a loose or corroded terminal.
- Turn off everything that draws power: headlights, heater fan, radio, phone chargers.
- Check for the simple stuff. A dome light left on, a door not fully closed, or a key fob with a dead battery can all look like a dead car battery.
- Don't keep cranking. Long cranking can overheat the starter and leaves the battery even flatter.
- Call for help. If you have someone with cables and know how to use them safely, a jump may get you going. Otherwise, call dispatch at 734-985-0010.
Jump-start or replacement?
A jump-start gets the car running, but it doesn't fix a battery that's worn out. If the battery is old, a jump might get you to work and then leave you stuck again in the parking lot at 5 p.m.
When we come out for a jump-start, we test the battery and the charging system before we leave, so you know whether the battery is still good. If it isn't, we can do a mobile battery replacement right there: a new battery matched to your vehicle, installed where you're parked. No waiting for a ride to the parts store, and no carrying a heavy battery yourself.
Many newer cars with push-button start or automatic engine stop-start need an AGM battery. Putting a standard battery in one of those cars can cause it to fail early or set off warning lights, so dispatch asks for your year, make, and model before sending the right one.
If the battery isn't the problem, for example the alternator has failed, a new battery won't keep the car running for long. In that case we can tow it to your mechanic instead.
How to help your battery make it through winter
- Get it tested in the fall if it's more than three years old. A weak battery is cheaper to replace on your schedule than at 6 a.m. in a parking lot.
- Keep the terminals clean and tight. Corrosion and loose clamps block current even when the battery itself is fine.
- Drive longer when you can. A string of short trips never gives the alternator time to recharge what starting the car used.
- Park in a garage on the coldest nights if you have one.
- Don't leave the car sitting for weeks. If it's going to sit, a battery maintainer keeps the charge up.
- Turn accessories off before you shut the car down, so they aren't drawing power the next time you start it.
Stuck with a dead battery?
Safeway Services handles jump-starts and mobile battery replacement across Washtenaw County, 24 hours a day, including holidays. Call or text 734-985-0010 with your location and your vehicle, and dispatch will give you the price before a truck is sent. Dispatch speaks English, Arabic, Spanish, German, and Romanian.
