Problems with starting the car in winter. You can handle them yourself!

It's time to prepare your car for the approaching frost. The electrical and fuel systems require special attention.

The silence of turning the ignition key is one of the worst scenarios for motorists. Fortunately, many problems can be solved. Winter starting problems are usually not the result of a breakdown, but negligence in service. Experts of the Starter company suggest how to prepare the car for the winter.

Have a trusted mechanic check the condition of the key components responsible for starting the engine, including the battery, the charging system, and in the case of diesel engines, the glow plugs. Lighting should be checked for burnt out bulbs or blown reflectors. Any malfunctions should be eliminated, not forgetting the need to adjust the headlights and clean them regularly.

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It is also necessary to check the condition of the wipers. Their feathers should adhere well to the glass, be flexible and not crumble. If the wipers are found, they must be replaced - completely or only the brushes in the old type wipers. A good washer setting and replacement of the fluid with a winter one will help with frequent precipitation and salt deposits on the windows - a good fluid should withstand frosts down to -25 degrees C. Locks and seals should be lubricated on the door - this will prevent problems associated with freezing or freezing.

Fuel problems can occur, especially at low temperatures. In the case of gasoline engines, this is freezing of water, a small amount of which may be at the bottom of the tank (which is unlikely in a normally used car). On the other hand, precipitation of paraffin wax crystals in diesel fuel at low temperatures is much more likely. As a result, the flow in the fuel lines and filters is blocked, which effectively prevents the diesel engine from starting. The only salvation then is trying to warm up the diesel oil filter or put the car in a warm garage. Therefore, before the onset of severe frosts, it is worth using fuel improvers that bind water or prevent wax from falling out.

When the average daily temperature drops to 7 degrees C, you should plan to replace tires with winter ones, since summer tires lose their properties at low temperatures - the mixture from which they are made hardens, which lengthens the braking distance.

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We must not forget about the correct start of the engine in cold weather. Already at minus 10 degrees Celsius, the starting capacity of the battery drops to about 40 percent. Therefore, you should unload the battery and starter as much as possible by turning off all unnecessary receivers, such as lights or radio, and depress the clutch pedal when starting.

“If this is not done, then the starter will additionally have to turn half the shafts in the gearbox, which creates significant resistance due to the increased density of cold oil filling the mechanism,” explains Artur Zavorsky, technical and mechanic training specialist at Starter.