Severe cold can make batteries weaker, tires flatter
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
As temperatures remain in the teens and single-digits with a below-zero wind chill in Mid-Missouri, some drivers might run into issues getting their cars ready to go.
Tony Hoffman, service manager at Custom Complete Automotive on Providence Road, said not allowing your car enough time to warm up properly is one of the main issues he sees.
"The cold will affect a vehicle just like it does a body, It's hard to get it moving," Hoffman said. "It needs to be able to reach optimum operating temperature to get on the road."
Hoffman said colder temperatures can affect how the car battery operates and it's important to ensure the battery is in good condition.
"It may pull the voltage down and make increased difficulty starting," Hoffman said. "When it gets below 9.5 volts it will not start the vehicle, after it runs for a while it may run fine, but you're not going to be able to let it sit for a number of hours and expect it to start again."
Hoffman said the ideal time to heat up your car is about 15 to 20 minutes, but on days like these, it may take a little bit longer. It's important to make sure your car is outside or in a well-ventilated garage while it warms up.
"With the exhaust running indoors, that will not vent and could cause carbon monoxide poisoning, which is not good for the human body," Hoffman said.
While a flat tire is not ideal, too much air in your tires can cause havoc when driving on the roads.
"Over-inflating gets less contact area with the road," Hoffman said. "You still need to have them up at the correct pressures so that the tires don't wear out and damage the sidewall and create a tire issue with a blowout or flat."
Hoffman said engine oil can become thicker in the cold and make it harder for the engine to rotate.
"It's going to take longer for it to warm up, let the oil get to operating temperature, the coolant, the transmission fluid, that way the vehicle moves more smoothly," Hoffman said.
Another car issue you could run into is windshield wipers getting frozen to the windshield. When windshield wipers are down in their normal position, they can draw in moisture and freeze to the windshield, causing the rubber blades to get stuck or rip off.
Ricky Butcher, a Tow Truck driver for Tiger Towing in Columbia says they have gotten hundreds of calls for car issues like these within the past two weeks.
"A lot of people don't check their batteries or know when the batteries were last put in," Butcher said. "Most of them have a five year lifespan so when it gets to that cold weather it's a real deadly source for them."
As of 1:30 p.m. Monday, Tiger Towing was called for 32 calls for service. They say they average about 40 calls per day.