United Tire and Service News

The cold weather in Philadelphia can have a significant impact on your physical body and daily activities, but it can also have a significant impact on your car battery. Although winter has been fairly decent in the North the last few years, this is the time to start thinking about winter maintenance, particularly battery maintenance.

 

On average, a car battery in cold weather loses about a third of its power and about half once the temperature drops below zero. That is a scary thought, especially when you’re headed out in the morning to commute to work or take your kids to school. Once the temperature begins to decrease, the outcome is thickened oil and internal engine parts that operate much slower, which makes it harder for your engine to start.  

 

It’s only a matter of time before you encounter a dead or weakened car battery on a cold day. Fortunately, there are warning signs that you can identify, which may save you from becoming stranded, if you take immediate action. 

 

Typical warning signs include: 

 

 

If you don’t drive your vehicle that often during the colder months, it’s imperative that you still start the engine from time to time and allow it to run for at least 15-20 minutes. The alternator should generate enough electrical current to the battery for a good recharge. Perhaps you’re a telecommuter and you drive your vehicle mostly on the weekends, or you have two vehicles and one of them is used more often than the other. Monitor how often the vehicle is not being used to prevent a completely dead battery, which may result in having a bad cell if the battery is not recharged regularly. It is also helpful for a car battery in cold weather to maintain a full tank of gas for easier engine turnover and less drain on the battery when a vehicle isn't used that often.

 

United Tire & Service strives to empower our consumers and, believe it or not, you have a great deal of control over your battery being sufficiently charged. For starters, if you have a garage, use it more often during the winter months. The less time your vehicle is directly exposed to the cold weather, the more advantage you have for the battery not becoming discharged. Unplug your phone charger and all USB cables when the devices are not in use. And above all else, make sure that your battery remains clean. United Tire & Service also wants to remind you to take this opportunity to check your roadside emergency kit and ensure that you have jumper cables as well as other emergency essentials. 

 

If your car battery needs to be replaced or recharged, be sure to contact United Tire & Service at any of our 13 auto repair shops. Our technicians are more than capable of assessing your battery to ensure that it's ready for the cold weather. Please use our online scheduler to make an appointment, or give us a call.