Winter care for car batteries

DENVER, Oct. 2 — A frigid Colorado morning is one of the worst times to find out that your car won’t start. When preparing for winter weather, don’t forget your car’s heart — its battery.

“In the winter, the cold slows down the chemical reactions in batteries, making the car hard to start,” says Scott Soper, AAA Colorado’s manager of battery services. “A battery is 35 percent weaker at 32 degrees than at warmer temperatures. At zero degrees, a car’s battery loses approximately 60 percent of its strength. Below zero it won’t take a charge at all.”

AAA has designated October as Car Care Month to remind all motorists to check their vehicles before the onset of winter driving conditions. To ensure that your car starts up each and every cold morning this winter, AAA provides the following tips:

• Test the battery — A battery load or conductance test performed by a qualified technician will determine a battery’s strength for winter starts. An additional check of the starting and charging system, and the battery’s reserve capacity is also suggested.
• How old is the battery — If possible, check receipts for the age of the battery. If it is more than three years old, you may be driving on borrowed time, replacement now may save an emergency call later.
• Check terminals and cables — If there is corrosion (a white, crusty substance) on the battery terminals, it impedes the flow of energy from the battery to the car. A paste of baking soda and water and a toothbrush can remove this corrosion. Also check to make sure the cables are in good condition.
• Avoid short trips — Each start of the engine during short trips will use energy from the battery, but it can take up to 30 minutes for the car battery to get fully charged. This means short trips can diminish the amount of capacity of the battery.

AAA also recommends safety precautions when working with batteries. Wear protective eye glasses and protective clothing to prevent severe injury from battery acid.

For more information on automotive issues and to find a AAA-approved auto repair facility in your area, go to www.aaa.com/carmaintenance.

AAA Colorado has more than 500,000 members in Colorado and is an advocate for safety and security for all travelers. As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 50 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services, as well as member-exclusive savings. AAA can be visited on the Internet at www.aaa.com.

Note to Media: This is the second of four informative pieces to highlight October as Car Care Month — AAA's reminder to all motorists to check their vehicles before the onset of winter driving conditions. Each Tuesday in October you will receive another in the series. Next week, AAA will provide maintenance for safer winter handling.

If you would prefer to receive these items on a different day, please contact Debbi Lardinois, Communications Specialist, 303-753-8800, ext, 8103; dlardinois@colorado.aaa.com. October Car Care Month press releases can be found at aaa.com under “News and Safety.”

Media: Sign up to receive news and updates from AAA.