If you’ve stepped outside in Central New York lately, you already know… it’s cold. And below freezing mornings with bitter wind chills are the perfect combo for car trouble.
When temperatures drop this low, weak car batteries can’t hang. They fail. And usually without much warning… and usually at the worst possible time.
Why Extreme Cold Creates Weak Car Batteries
Cold weather doesn’t suddenly kill a healthy battery. What it does is slow the chemical reaction inside the battery, reducing the amount of power it can deliver. Around 32 degrees, a battery can lose roughly 20 percent of its starting power. When temperatures drop closer to zero, something we’re already dealing with across Central New York, that loss can approach 40 percent.
At the same time, your engine needs more energy to start because oil thickens and internal resistance increases. That combination is why a car that started fine yesterday, suddenly won’t turn over today.
How Battery Age Plays a Bigger Role in Winter
Most car batteries last between three and five years under normal conditions. Winter is when those age-related weaknesses show up…