The car struggles to start in the cold because of the battery. In this case, the chemical reactions within a battery are slower in the cold, whereas its internal resistance increases. Additionally, a weak fuel pump, dirty fuel injectors, heavier/thicker oil(common to occur in cold weather), and carbon deposits can also be culprits.
Watch out: Many cars struggle to start when the cold weather hits, and it commonly doesn't mean a devastating issue. Pay attention to how the car behaves when you turn the key. Does it make a clicking sound, or is it completely silent? Every detail might rule out an issue with the car battery or something else, making the search quicker.
Your car's battery is a box that stores electricity. This electricity powers the car's parts, making the engine start. However, in cold weather, the battery struggles to perform because of a chemical reaction that happens inside. Imagine the battery is like a half-empty juice box. When it's freezing out, the battery acts like it's half of whatever it was in average weather. So if the battery is already weak, it might not have enough energy to help the engine start when it's cold.
The fuel pump is a part of the gas tank. It ensures enough pressure to spray the gas into the engine so it can burn and power the car. But if the fuel pump is old and worn, it struggles to create enough pressure. This means the gas won't spray swiftly, and the engine won't burn properly, especially in cold weather. Also, as the pump ages, it takes longer to generate enough pressure to start the car. This is why sometimes you must turn the key for a long time before the car finally starts.
The fuel injectors are like little sprayers that shoot gas into the engine. They make the gas into tiny droplets; this makes them burn quickly, helping the car go. But if the injector's nozzle gets dirty, the gas won't release in tiny droplets. Instead, it might dribble out and not burn properly, especially in cold weather, as gas doesn't ignite as easily in lower temperatures. So when the injector is dirty, and the weather is cold, the engine struggles to run smoothly, even when idling.
The oil in your car's engine is essential because it helps keep all the parts working smoothly. But it's not just any oil - it needs to be a specific oil that matches what your engine was built to use. The type of oil depends on the temperature where you live. If you use a thicker or heavier oil than your engine needs, it can cause damage to your engine. It's like trying to run a race wearing boots instead of sneakers - it's too heavy and slow. When it's cold outside, the thicker oil won't be able to move around the engine quickly enough, making it harder for the engine to start.
The spark plugs in your car help light a small fire inside the engine that makes it go. But spark plugs have a tough job because they must work in hot and harsh conditions. As you use your car, the spark plugs will wear out over time, and the gap will get bigger. This can make them weaker and not as hot, which can cause problems. When it's freezing outside, this problem gets even worse. If your spark plugs are already worn out, your engine might not be able to start at all, or it might run rough until the engine warms up.
The engine in your car needs air to work correctly, and the air comes in through the intake. But over time, some dirty stuff called carbon deposits can build up inside the intake because of the way the engine works and because of heat. When there's too much carbon buildup, the airflow through the intake can be blocked. This can cause the engine to get too much fuel and not enough air, making it run poorly or not start at all, especially when it's freezing outside.
The most common causes for starting issues in the cold are:
Weak fuel pump: The fuel pump pushes fuel through the vehicle’s lines, ensuring it reaches everywhere it needs for proper combustion and ignition. However, the fuel pump might be worn, faulty, or weak, causing low fuel pressure and extended crank time when the car is cold.
Heavy oil: Some casual vehicles might get mistakenly refilled with heavy oil like the 15w40 oil, which is not recommended for their small cars. This means that the 15w40 oil represents a heavier mixture, which is too dense for lighter vehicles. It’s advisable to use the manufacturer-specified oil weight to solve the slow cranking problem.
Carbon deposit: Components like the throttle body are vital for the engine’s air intake, which is essential for combustion and engine performance. However, the throttle body relies on valve movement (opening and closing) which can become sticky due to carbon deposits and debris. Consequently, the throttle body doesn’t work properly, leading to a starting issue.
Dirty fuel injectors: The fuel injector shoots fuel in the engine to start the combustion process and regulate the engine’s performance while the vehicle drives. However, the fuel injector might get dirty and clogged, resulting in a lower fuel spray, leading to starting issues.
Faulty battery: The battery powers the vehicle, from initial ignition to mid-drive functionalities, and even by feeding the alarm after shutting the vehicle off. Therefore, if the battery fails, it’ll not provide the necessary power for things like starting the vehicle, power steering, headlights, etc. Plus, a battery’s internal chemical reactions get slower during cold weather, lowering its performance.
Worn spark plugs: Spark plugs might not create the right spark to ignite fuel in the cylinders due to aging or failures. Therefore, the vehicle might not start properly since sparking is weak.
Your car's battery is a box that stores electricity. This electricity powers the car's parts, making the engine start. However, in cold weather, the battery struggles to perform because of a chemical reaction that happens inside. Imagine the battery is like a half-empty juice box. When it's freezing out, the battery acts like it's half of whatever it was in average weather. So if the battery is already weak, it might not have enough energy to help the engine start when it's cold.
These are typical processes and repair services that fix a check engine light issue
The most common reason for a car's struggling to start in cold weather is an issue with the battery. The battery has specific chemical reactions happening inside so it can perform properly and send power to the car. However, in cold weather, a weak battery might struggle to work since these chemical reactions become slower due to low temperatures.
Symptoms it causes: Apart from the starting issues, you might notice engine stalling, battery warning light, loss of power steering, dimming headlights, radio issues, etc.
High risk of priority: The battery is the most vital electrical part of your vehicle, ensuring the car actually starts, works, and drives. Therefore, a faulty battery can lead to serious vehicle issues including sudden breakdowns.
A vehicle battery typically lasts roughly two years, but its life cycle depends on how much —and for what— you use the car. Batteries mostly die out of natural conditions, they have limited power which is periodically consumed until you need to replace them. However, batteries can also fail due to unpredictable situations, like internal short, chemical reactions, leaks, overstress, etc.
Go safe: Ask for a mechanic to inspect your vehicle’s battery and charging system to investigate if the battery is failing due to surrounding components and if there’s further damage to check out. Many shops do transparent vehicle inspections and lay out your options after investigating your vehicle’s conditions.
What’s a vehicle inspection? It’s “detective work” on your vehicle, checking its systems to see if anything prevents the car from working as expected. In this case, mechanics examine different parts of your vehicle to track if anything is causing the battery to fail. They’ll also check the condition of components during their inspection, noting which are causing the problem and which got affected by it, recommending to replace them in order of priority.
A charging system inspection is the most transparent process to understand why your vehicle’s battery is faulty. This is because many components surrounding the battery and charging system components like the alternator and serpentine belt can have a say in the issue, indicating the real culprits that caused it all.
Let’s read an example of how this kind of inspection helps to service a weak battery, fixing an ignition problem.
A customer brought their car and explained they had trouble starting it in cold weather. They mentioned that the engine barely cranked over, and the car wouldn't start. Later in the day, the car started when it was warmer but still cranked slowly. Also, the headlights were dimmer in general.
During the test drive, the technician noticed that the car started but cranked slowly. The technician then did a vehicle health inspection and tested the battery using an electronic tester. The results showed that the battery had 232 CCA, much lower than the battery's rating of 700 cold-cranking amps.
Note that CCA stands for "Cold Cranking Amps." It measures the battery's ability to start the engine in cold temperatures. The higher the CCA rating, the more influential the battery is at starting the engine in cold temperatures.
The technician also tested the charging system and found it working correctly. However, based on the tests, the technician determined the battery was faulty and needed to be replaced. The battery no longer provided enough power to start the car properly, especially in cold temperatures.
In this case, the mechanic put the “Immediate Action” tag on the battery.
Below are just a few examples of typical Symptoms and Fixes your car might be experiencing