The cold days will soon arrive and you have to adapt to them. And in those, regardless of whether your car is newer or older, it may be difficult to start. This is not something new, as it happens frequently, especially in times when the nights are colder than usual. Therefore, it is important that you know some tricks to make it wake up without the engine suffering.
The car needs to warm up, but without being abrupt
When your car has been sleeping in frigid temperatures for several hours, the last thing you want is to have to pull away abruptly. To prevent it from suffering , it is best to let it warm up little by little. Otherwise, its wear process could be accelerated and, what is worse, cause breakdowns that could even be serious.
Because, whether it’s a newer car or a few years behind it, cars need to warm up before they hit the road. Otherwise, you will not only be causing mechanical wear, but it is also likely that, over time, it could suffer some major breakdown as a result.
And it is that when the outside temperature is very low, combustion cars (hybrids and electric ones too) have a much harder time starting. In fact, if you try to do it carelessly, you will be subjecting your diesel car’s engine heaters to extra effort . This is something that will affect, first of all, the entire electrical part of the vehicle, and later, the entire engine gear.
How can we do it
As such, and before starting to name you the tricks and tips that can help you in this process so that neither you nor the car suffers at the time of starting, you must be especially careful if it has spent the night outdoors , since at try to start it in the morning you may notice that it costs more than normal.
In these situations the vehicle’s engine suffers and can end up damaged. Also, if this happens to you, remember to have car insurance with all the coverage you need and comply with the specific characteristics of your vehicle to drive completely calm at any time of the year.
Heat the battery with a cloth (calmly)
If your car doesn’t start on a cold morning, the first thing you should do is arm yourself with patience, even if you are in a hurry to get to work or anywhere else, since the process can take time and it is important to do it well to avoid breakdowns and future repairs.
One of the keys is to warm up the battery , even before you put the key in the ignition. You can use a cloth that you have heated before and place it on the battery for a few minutes. Of course, nothing to place wet objects on it.
Turn on the electrical system
One of the ways to cold start a car is to turn on the vehicle’s electrical system for a few seconds and repeat the process two or three times. In this sense, it is best to turn the key only to the first point (where it makes contact but does not start the engine). In this way, the fuel heaters will be activated with less effort.
If we give the contact two or three times before starting the engine, you will allow the glow plugs to work longer and not be exposed to an abrupt cold start. Thus, what we achieve is that the start of combustion is much more fluid and smooth for the vehicle.
Beware of refrigeration
The same goes for cooling: you must use a coolant with antifreeze properties . All coolants have an antifreeze element to allow a wide range of temperatures of use. In most cases, the antifreeze element is ethylene glycol, depending on its percentage the freezing point will be higher or lower.
For example, with 25% of this element your vehicle will last below 12 degrees below zero. Enough in most cases. You should also keep in mind that you should add an antifreeze fluid to the windshield wiper fluid, although in very cold conditions it is better not to use it outdoors.
Drive a couple of minutes at idle
This advice is very useful whenever the car is started, whatever the season, but even more so during the cold months. If the car has been parked in the cold for several hours, the oil, in addition to becoming more viscous, descends into the crankcase, that is, it is very far from the area to be lubricated.
If as soon as we start we rev the engine, and the parts are not properly lubricated, what we are doing is wearing it out and, over time, it can take its toll. If, instead, we let the engine idle for a short time, we will be causing it to heat up and lubricate the engine parts.
If the cold is very extreme, we can also drive for a couple of minutes at idle speed to let it acclimatize , and then do it gently, gradually increasing the intensity .