The Ways Cold Weather Impacts Your Car’s Battery

Have you ever wondered why it seems that as soon as the weather turns cold, the battery in your Chevrolet starts acting up? Well, it’s not just in your head; there are real reasons a car battery starts to have issues as the weather gets colder. Let’s go through some reasons so you hopefully won’t be caught in a situation where you need a jump, and there’s no one around to help.

How A Car Battery Works

When you park your Chevrolet outside either at night or during the day, your battery may take longer to start your vehicle. You probably understand that a battery stores electrical energy, but how it does that is very interesting. Sulfuric acid and lead plates inside the battery initiate a chemical reaction that converts the stored energy into flowing electrons, producing 12 volts of electrical energy. This works in conjunction with the starter to crank the engine.

Cold Weather Makes a Battery Run Harder and Slower

However, the colder it is, the longer this process can take, leading to a slow start. Or, in the case of a depletion of a battery’s stored energy, causing a no-start. Once the car is running, the battery gets recharged by the vehicle’s alternator. The battery is only used to start a car or when the accessory mode is on.

Battery Corrosion

One reason your battery may have a slow start or no start is corrosion on the battery posts and terminals. This corrosion is a buildup of hydrogen gas that forms in the battery and mixes with air, causing a specific type of corrosion. Sulfuric acid leaking from a damaged battery can also cause a different type of corrosion. Sometimes it can be due to the age of the battery or a battery being over- or undercharged.

How To Clean the Corrosion

You can clean the terminals and posts quite easily with a mixture of baking soda and water, using a toothbrush to coat the areas affected. Or you can buy battery terminals and post cleaners from an auto parts store, Amazon, Walmart, and the like.

Chevrolet Roadside Assistance Can Jump Your Battery

If you do have trouble with your battery while you’re out and about, you can call Chevrolet Roadside Assistance to either get a jump or a tow to your nearest dealer.

Portable Battery Jump Starter

Any automotive expert will recommend that you carry jumper cables at a minimum. But a lithium-ion battery jumper is always a great investment. Remember to get one that has enough juice to jump your battery at least twice before you need to recharge it, which most of them allow by plugging it into your car’s 12V socket or USB charging port. If you don’t know which one is best, Project Farm on YouTube has great unsponsored video reviews of different brands and models.

Jumper Cable Gauges

When it comes to jumper cables, the gauge or thickness of the wire matters. The lower the number, the more amperage that can be passed through the cable. For instance, if you have a diesel Silverado HD, you’ll want a 0- or 1-gauge wire. If you have a Suburban or Tahoe with a 5.3, 6.2, or 3.0 Duramax, you’ll be fine with a 2 gauge. While crossovers with 6-, 4-, or 3-cylinder engines will be just fine with a 4-6 gauge. Usually, longer jumper cables with a lower gauge number are guaranteed to handle the amperage over long stretches.

Barry’s Chevrolet Can Help You with Your Battery

If you fear your battery is old, you can always come down to Barry’s Chevrolet to have it tested by the service department. If it needs to be replaced, the team can handle that quite easily for you. If it just needs to be recharged, they may recommend driving around for about 30 minutes to help extend the battery’s life.

Why Choose Barry’s Chevrolet

Barry’s Chevrolet takes great pride in offering some of the best values around. Whether you are looking for a new or used car, we have hundreds of vehicles to choose from, and our wonderful sales team and finance department will work to give you the best price. When it’s time to take care of your car, truck, or SUV, our amazing service department will work hard to maintain your vehicle to the highest standards.