What Are the Reasons for a Car Not Starting in Cold Weather?
3 Answers
The reasons for a car not starting in cold weather: 1. Insufficient battery power: In low temperatures, the car's power consumption increases, and the battery capacity decreases. You can go to a specialized shop to recharge the battery or replace it with a new one in time; 2. Restricted oil flow: In winter, the viscosity of the engine oil increases, making it difficult to flow, which increases the engine resistance and makes it hard to start the car. You can place the car in a warm environment, and after a while, it can start normally. A complete solution requires professional winter maintenance and changing to the appropriate engine oil; 3. Frozen exhaust pipe, carbon buildup in the electronic throttle: The condition of a frozen exhaust pipe mainly occurs when the car is used infrequently. The water vapor from engine combustion freezes on the exhaust pipe, and short-distance driving is not enough to melt this ice. After one night, more ice forms, and over time, it will affect the vehicle's starting and exhaust. The solution is to drive at high speed to use stronger exhaust force to promptly remove the accumulated water in the exhaust pipe.
This issue is particularly common in winter. I've encountered it several times myself, mainly due to a few typical situations: the battery is most vulnerable to cold, as the charge becomes weak in low temperatures and may not be able to power the starter; engine oil thickens like paste in the cold, making it much harder for the engine to turn over; if the spark plugs are worn out, their ignition energy is insufficient, making it even harder to ignite the air-fuel mixture in cold conditions; and if the fuel injectors are dirty, poor gasoline atomization makes starting even more difficult. It's recommended to turn the key on and off several times before a cold start to allow the fuel pump to build up pressure. When attempting to start, avoid cranking for more than 10 seconds to prevent flooding the engine. If the battery is over three years old, it's best to check its health before the cold season and replace it if necessary.
When a car won't start in winter, several factors should be considered. The chemical reaction in the battery slows down in low temperatures, making power supply unstable, especially for old batteries. Engine oil viscosity increases, significantly raising resistance to piston movement. Gasoline's volatility decreases in cold weather, leading to improper air-fuel mixture concentration, and spark plug ignition efficiency also drops. In some older cars, severe carbon brush wear in the starter motor can cause it to jam and fail to rotate in cold conditions. If this happens, don't panic - the safest solution is to try jump-starting with a portable charger. Remember to check the oil grade beforehand; 5W or 0W grades offer better low-temperature fluidity. As a last resort, you can push the car to a slope, roll it in gear to start - this method works particularly well with manual transmissions.
