Common Winter Car Problems and How to Avoid Them

While North Carolina is less prone to severe winter storms, cold temperatures can still affect your car. Those of us who have lived in the Southeast region during past winters know that the temperature can drop like a stone without warning! Here are a few things to look out for this winter.

Bad Battery

For a number of different reasons, dead car batteries tend to be a bigger issue during the cold winter months than at other times of the year. If you haven’t had your battery tested in awhile, now is an important time to do it. Also, take a look at your battery cables and make sure that they are not corroded or rusted. For older vehicles, the connectors on your battery may need to be replaced to ensure a good connection. Double check to make sure that you have jumper cables in your trunk—and that they are in good condition. Replace old or rusted jumper cables. Should you find that your car will not start, resist the temptation to crank the starter over and over. This will just drain the battery and make matters worse.

Frozen Emergency Brake

As a rule, avoid using your emergency brake in the winter unless you absolutely have to. There’s really no reason to use the emergency brake most of the time anyway unless you are parked on a hill. When the temperature drops below freezing, your parking brake can become stuck in the engaged position. If you drive a car with a manual transmission, you can park the car in first gear; for an automatic, put it in park. During the cold months, avoid parking on inclines even if it means walking further.

Obscured Windshield Visibility

Windshield road dirt is a serious hazard during the winter, particularly if you do a lot of highway driving. On the first day of driving in inclement winter weather, you may suddenly begin to depend on the washer and wipers just to be able to see out of your windshield. Make sure that you have plenty of windshield washer fluid (including a bottle in your trunk)—and make sure that your windshield washer actually works. It’s not uncommon to go most of the year without using the washer (or using it infrequently). Be sure to replace windshield wipers if they are worn. On nights where the temperature falls below freezing, don’t scrape or pry wipers away from the windshield if they have frozen to the glass. Doing so could damage the wipers and prevent them from working correctly when your windshield becomes clouded.

Windshield Cracks

Cracks in the windshield are most likely to form during the winter. This is due to the constant temperature fluctuation and the stress it places on the windshield. The combination of cold air on the outside of the car and hot air from the defroster causes tiny micro-cracks to expand. If you have a “star” or a tiny crack in your windshield, you may be able to prevent it from growing into a crack. See a windshield repair specialist to find out what can be done.

Frozen Door Locks

On especially cold nights, the door locks can freeze up. Spraying a tiny bit of WD-40 lubricant into the locks ahead of time can help to prevent them from freezing. If you do find your door locks frozen, do NOT use a lighter to heat your key. Most recent-model cars have electronic chips inside the key fob that can be damaged. (You could end up with a key that gets you into your car but fails to start the ignition.) Also, don’t pour hot water onto the lock (unless you’re planning to park your car in a warm garage the next night). This may temporarily resolve the situation, but will only make matters worse when the hot water cools down and freezes. Thawing out the lock with a hair-dryer is a better option (if you happen to have access to a hair dryer and an extension cord).   Be sure to stay safe this winter by taking these important precautions. If you’re considering upgrading to a newer vehicle before the winter sets in, give us a call or stop by!



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