Top Reasons Your Car Won’t Start in the Winter

⋅ Auto Shipper ⋅

Due to colder temperatures in the Winter, cars are affected whether it is from the car battery or the engine oil.

Some of the top reasons your car won’t start are as follows:

  1. The cold weather produces thicker engine oil, making oil harder to pump through the engine block. This will put stress on the battery – and if the battery is already stressed and on low power – the battery could die.
  2. The bitter cold weather will also make batteries produce less electrical current. This drain’s the power of your battery.
  3. Water is in your fuel line. This happens when the fuel lines become too cold and freeze, which prevents gas from getting to the motor. This halts combustion and your car will not turn over.
  4. The Carburetor Has Something Wrong With It – If you have an older car model, they use a system called the carburetor. Most newer cars do not use a carburetor but use a fuel injection system instead. The Carburetor has to get the right fuel and air mixture in order to work properly. In cold weather, if the carburetor doesn’t start, the choke might be dirty or not functioning properly. The choke could fail to close which will suck in more air than needed and you will have difficulty starting your car.
  5. You are not Using the Correct Oil – Some car engines need different types of oils. Read the manufacturer manual to see the type of engine oil that your car needs. Thicker oil (10W-30)is not recommended when temperatures are too cold. Many new cars have oil that is thinner ( like 5W-20).

Figuring out why your car won’t start on some of the coldest years may take some time to get to the bottom of it. Luckily, there are maintenance tips that you can do in the Winter to prevent your car from having issues. These include:

  • Replace antifreeze to prevent rust or engine erosion
  • Replace wiper fluid for better visibility and replace wipers after each Winter
  • Be sure to replace your car battery every 3 years

With these helpful tips from Direct Connect Auto Transport, you can have large vehicle shipping or classic car shipping without having to worry about your car breaking down or having issues.