Tips to protect your battery from the cold this winter
June 4, 2019
Do you ever find your car reluctant to start up on a cold morning?
Winter is hard for cars because the whole idea of the modern vehicle is to use combustion by igniting and using the fumes to power the vehicle.
In the colder months, the battery that starts and powers the electrics of the car has to do so much more work to get an engine firing initially to suck in air and fuel so you can start driving – so it’s easy to see why batteries tend to give up in winter.
Australian winters are mild, Queensland especially cops it pretty easy – but single digit temperatures aren’t unheard of, and if your car is used to tropical weather all year round, it might be shocked when the cold finally sets in.
Here are our tips to on a few things you can do to protect your battery from the cold.
Keep it charged
Cars are made to be driven, leave them sitting for too long isn’t recommended or encouraged. Batteries, specifically, need to be used or else they’ll just go flat.
So if your leaving your car for more than a week, and especially if you’re leaving it stored for longer – maybe you’re moving for work or off on a big holiday – think about asking a family member or friend to turn the engine over at least once a week, even take your car for a quick trip around the block can make a world of difference.
Check the rest of your car
The other parts of the car are just as essential, and it’s important to keep everything running smoothly so you don’t put any extra stress on the battery.
Check that your heating and cooling system is well maintained, and that major electrical equipment like the in-cabin and signal lighting, multimedia system and power accessories (like windows or mirrors) are all functioning normally.
If you haven’t had your car checked out lately, the service teams at Torque Toyota both at North Lakes and Strathpine see over 30,000 cars a year; so the expert technicians are pretty knowledgeable about keeping your car running right, and our service advisors are more than happy to hop in the passenger seat while your driving so you can point out that noise or rattle that only happens on the move.
We are offering free battery testing through the months of June and July 2019. Be sure to pop in the next time you pass the dealership. We are also offering great deals on new batteries.
Small battery for Yaris, Echo, early model Corolla – $137.50 plus $25 fitting cost.
Medium battery for Camry, newer model Corolla, RAV4 – $155.00 plus $25 fitting cost.
Large battery for Hilux, Prado, 200 Series $181.50 plus $25 fitting cost.
Call our Service Advisor Team on 07 3384 5049 for North Lakes or 07 3384 8889 for Strathpine to check availability.
