Starting Your Car in the Cold

It’s not uncommon during our St Louis winters to have occasional difficulty trying to cold start a car. However, if your car won’t start when it’s cold but starts when it’s warm, that could be an indication of specific issues. Our service department wants to help you keep your car running in top shape, so we’ve put together the guide below on how to cold-start a car and why this is sometimes hard to do. So, if you’ve been wondering, “Why won’t my car start when it’s cold?” or “What is a cold start?”, keep reading!

What Is a Cold-Start?

Sometimes, especially in frigid temperatures, it can be difficult to cold-start a car. What is a cold-start? It means to start the engine when the surrounding temperature is colder than that of the car’s engine. Will this damage your engine? No, not as long as you keep your oil changed and refrain from revving up your engine to warm it up.

How to Cold Start a Car:

1. Turn off all electrical systems.
2. Dip the clutch while turning your ignition (applies to manual transmissions, of course).
3. Make sure your battery posts and cable connectors are not corroded.
4. Check the oil and top it off if it is low.

Why Won’t My Car Start When It’s Cold?

You hate rushing out of your house on a winter morning to start your Jefferson County commute, just to find your car won’t start. You’re likely wondering, “Why won’t my car start when it’s cold?” More fuel is required to start a cold engine, and so the engine must idle higher than it would otherwise. If the engine doesn’t idle high enough, the excess gas could clog the ignition system, causing the engine to stall. But, there are other reasons why a car won’t start when it’s cold but starts when it’s warm. Here are a few:

• The battery isn’t designed for the cold. The winters in this region of the country aren’t as harsh as other regions. Most batteries you can buy from retailers will have an “S” after the size of the battery. This stands for “South” and indicates the battery is made for warmer climates. It could also just be time to replace your battery.
• The oil is low or needs to be changed. Oil needs to flow smoothly through the engine for it to start in cold weather. Dirty oil or low oil will affect this.
• Moisture in the fuel line. Moisture in the fuel line can freeze in the winter, causing a clog. This can happen more commonly in diesel engines.
• The carburetor is clogged. This applies to older cars, since most modern cars have fuel injectors instead of carburetors.

Make an Appointment With Suntrup Hyundai South of St. Louis

The trained professionals know exactly what to do if your car won’t start when cold but starts when warm. So, bring your car in, and let us take care of it. In the meantime, check out our other automotive tips. We’re just down the road from St Charles, so schedule an appointment with us today!