What is with my car battery and winter?

Question

I have a Toyota 1987 Cressida. It runs fine except in winter. Then we have battery problems . As it gets colder and the winter goes on longer, it gets worse. First I just have to jump it on cold days, it runs fine after that. Then it has to be jumped every single day I want to use it. Then it gets to I have to jump it whenever I turn the car off. Finally we get to the point I am at now, where I am afraid to slow down in the car for fear it will die and I will have to jump it in the middle of the road.

I have a new battery, but the old one was good they refused to take it for the core refund, said it was better than the new one I just put in.

It all has to do with the weather and how long the cold lasts. The alternator is new and runs fine in the other months.

I don't use the car a lot or go very far when I do. I am worse in winter cuz, it's cold and I don't want to have to jump it. Is that the problem?

Besides moving, what can I do to fix this?

Thanks

Answer 1

Actually, a couple of things. As the weather gets cold, people think their battery goes dead. It doesn't, but just like us it's less efficient in cold weather.

First check to make sure your alternator is working as it should. Just put a volt meter on the battery while it's running. It should read close to 14 volts, it not, replace the alternator. If the alternator is good:

Cold Cranking Amps is a rating used in the battery industry to define a battery's ability to start an engine in cold temperatures. The rating is the number of amps a new, fully charged battery can deliver at 0° Fahrenheit for 30 seconds, while maintaining a voltage of at least 7.2 volts, for a 12 volt battery. The higher the CCA rating, the greater the starting power of the battery.

Upgrade your battery to one with greater cold cranking amps would be one way to solve the problem.

Another would be a heater, either on the oil pan or the type that keeps the coolant warm and circulated. In very cold places perhaps both. The coolant type you will have your heater almost instantly when you start the car. The oil pan type keeps the oil warm so it's easier to start the car.

Also, the next time you have it in for maintenance, ask your mechanic to check the cold start system, it may have a problem too.

Answer 2

You are probably doing most of your driving in the dark, with the heater fan blowing and all the lights on. This will slowly drain the battery if your alternator can't keep up with the load. My suggestion is to start the car and let it warm up without the lights and heater fan on, or let it sit and idle with the lights and heater fan off for five minutes or so after you reach your destination. Or get an alternator that has a higher output rating. Have the entire charging system checked by a mechanic to make sure all the components are functioning correctly. You could try a block heater or a battery blanket, which would reduce the initial load on the battery starting your car when it's cold. That might be just enough relief for to keep the battery from slowly draining.

Answer 3

Your Battery,

First of all Anyone who sells any kind of Auto Battery is supose to take back old batteries. 1. EPA. 2. Lead Plates and Liquid can be recycled and made into new Batteries.

Refuse of changing your old battery???? Read on here and know how old your car is ho many miles and years of that batteries life is
expected to have. Sounds like somone does not want to do their job and this always happens with women. Which is wrong. The owner of the car knows mor than the Machanic.

Next Time you need a Battery always ask about core returns and prorate. Avoid anyone who does not take back your old battery even if they do not do core returns because your to put the battery out in the trash. If you can Shop around do not got to anyone like Joes Garage that is nothing but a shanty and beats around the bush with warenties.

Reason 1. The Altinator is what keeps the battery charged. If you do not drive the car enough the batery does loose the charge in time depending how long how far you drive.

Reason 2. The longer you do Not drive you car in the winter the weaker the charge will be to the silinoid to spin the starter which starts your vehicle.

Reason3. You may have a open switch causing the battery to loose the charge. Example visors Tunk Light glove box lights the switches can go bad and the button to turn the ligght off may work when you check it but bot when its closed where you are unable to see. A Bad Ground causes this also.
This is where it is best to take the car to a dealer pay the bill to resolve the problem. If the dealer finds the problem fixes it and same problem continues then they have to pay the bill if its the same part. Sometimes it could lead to a additional part that you will have to pay for. This sometimes is easy to fix sometimes not. Do not be shocked if it leads to a sensor on the motor.
Tips for the winter. I have always turned off everything before I turn off the car and put the car in Park let the car idle for about 1 minute. Put the car in park take your foot off the brake and the daytime running lights will turn off.
Machanics have advanced computer tools where the could pin point the problem. Be specific give as much detal what you have to do to the car reason why it dies and how often and how far on average you drive.
If you should happen to drive someplace soon and notice at a stoplight your motor is running at a little higher idle that means your battery is getting charged and if you hae a battery gauge never let it go over 14 volts and never let it go below 10 volts.

Read the Battery on its life. Example: 6years / 75,000 miles which ever comes first.
Read your Drivers Manual for required Cranking Amps.

Signs of a bad battery.

Battery Gurgles something is wrong with an internal cell(s).
Low Dome light when you get in and out of your car.
Weak sounding Cranking when you turn the key to start the motor.
Wrong battery to low of Required Cranking Amps.
Corrossive ness shows up.
Sides of the battery Bowing 1 or more side(s).

Altinator : usualy a battery light comes on and good rule of thumb try not to drive more than 20 miles at the very most because your running on the battery eventhough the altinator is still spinning just a internal part(s) wore out or other connectionshorted or broke.
Check your belts around 45,000 - 50,000 miles. On any Belt 50,000 miles it the death of the belt.

You should not have to change the Altinator if the battery light does not come on.

Signs of Bad Belts Hairlline cracks and feels like a rubber band..
Belts squeal when your drive.
The belt connected to the altinator if squealing occurs could cause inadiquete charging.

These symptons can happen anytime in the life of the battery.
Next
Purchasing a battery.
1. Shop around for prices you have to give your make model year motor size automatic stick shift. All Vehicles requirea certain cranking amp and Battery makers have certain models mad for your vehicle.

2. Ask about prorate. Your Car Dealer and Stores Like Good Year, Sears, NTB, Firestone all offer that. Plus they keep the old battery for recycling.

3. KEEP YOUR SALES REPIEPT for that life of the battery even if you have to get a new 1 and if it needs tobe prorated.

I own a Chevy.
My paste experience was DieHard and Ac Delco.
My relatives never had problems until I have problems with DieHard in the late 90's so 3 batteies in a 5 year period I have never gone back.
I have Stuck with Ac Delco.

Not sure what Firestone offers in Brand Name.
Good Year offers Interstate. Supose to be a good battery.
All prices are generally the same except your dealer.

I hope the info has helped.

Answer 4

Check the alternator. Battery's have low out put in cold weather but your little engine should spin over without any trouble. A battery at 10` to 20` will lose about one third of it's power. Still enough to start..Check the alternator out put....Had to EDIT. The only other thing that could be a problem would be a bad starter. Drawing too much power. It should draw 200 amps, +/-. If it is drawing more than that it will kill a good battery..

Answer 5

Cold weather always puts a big drain on a battery so the problem is not unusual. You stated the battery was new, and I presume there is no short to drain the battery, thus I will suggest that you go to your local auto parts store, explain this to the clerk, and purchase the appropriate " Battery Tender ". You will need to have an outlet to plug it into (it reduces the voltage to 12 volt). The " Pig Tail " lead you attach to the correct battery terminals and just leave that hooked up as it has a simple plug that when you go to start the car you just open the hood, unplug,close hood, and go. I have this on my motorcycle and use it every winter.

Answer 6

Batteries rely on chemical reactions to store and release energy. When it's cold, (almost?) all chemical reactions slow down, including those in your battery, meaning it can't put out enough voltage (it can't put out enough energy fast enough) to start your car.

The solution to this is to get a battery heater, and a battery blanket. The heater is a little rubber pad with heating elements in it, which you place under your battery, and you plug it in when the car is parked. The blanket gets wrapped around the battery to insulate it.

Before you do this, have your battery and alternator tested. New or not, it might not be putting out enough power. They'll do it for free at Autozone. Also make sure the cables don't have a lot of corrosion on the contacts.

Answer 7

The battery that was used to replace your old one may not have enough cold cranking amps (CCA) to work for you when the weather gets really cold. You need to find out what the cold cranking amps rating is for your new battery compared to your old battery. Your new battery should have the same, or more, cold cranking amps (CCA) as the old one. If not, replace it with one that does.
And if you do replace the battery, have the mechanic check the alternator output at the same time.

Answer 8

It could just be the cables on the battery, get the cables tightened
up.
Is water in the battery?
If the battery is new, it should not do this, it has to be the cables.

Answer 9

if you've tried everything else and it checks out ok then maybe I'd suggest keeping a heater in your engine. I lived in Montana for a year and it gets so so cold there that is what people did. Hope you get everything worked out!!!!

Answer 10

not very smart replacing good batteries.....try fixing the real problem...the alternator..doh..The battery is new and the alt is new... the alt is not working..check both battery cables..get a MECHENIC to look...with test equipment....