The winter season brings a host of challenges for drivers – many of which can be mitigated or addressed by adhering to our winter service checklist – but one of the most common cold-weather issues for any type of vehicle is a struggling or dead battery. If you’re worried about the battery in your Jeep vehicle this year, it’s important to understand how cold weather affects it, and then you can take a few preventive steps to help you avoid unexpected breakdowns and keep your Jeep performing at its best all winter long. In other words, today we’re going to tell you how to protect your Jeep’s battery in cold weather, so keep reading to learn more.
Why Does Cold Weather Affect Jeep Batteries?
Whether it’s a Jeep or a vehicle from some other manufacturer, all car batteries are negatively affected by cold weather. This is because automotive batteries rely on chemical reactions to generate power. These reactions slow down as the temperature drops, which reduces the battery’s ability to produce the necessary current to start your engine. A typical car battery can lose about 20% of its strength at 32°F, or potentially up to 50% at 0°F.
To make matters even worse, your engine oil also thickens in the cold, which means your vehicle requires even more energy from the battery in order to turn the engine over. This combination of reduced battery output and increased demand makes the winter season particularly detrimental to weak batteries. The best solution is to simply replace your car battery if it’s beginning to show signs of weakness, but there are other ways to protect it through the winter.
Get Battery Tested Early
Your first step should always be to get your battery tested early — meaning before the temperature even starts to drop. Obviously, it’s a little late for that this year if you didn’t do it already, but you could always take it in now just for peace of mind. Getting a quick battery test from an automotive service center like right here at Jim Glover CDJRF means you’ll learn about the overall health of your battery, and get measured results for its voltage output and its cold cranking amps (CCA).
The information you get from this test will help you determine if it’s time to just replace your battery or if it’ll be able to survive by following the rest of our tips. If your battery is more than 3–5 years old, then testing becomes even more important. And remember, if your test tells you that your battery is weak, it’s always better to replace it if you’re able, as it could potentially save you from being estranged in the cold later.
Tips for Protecting Car Batteries in Winter
Okay, now it’s time to dive into our preventive tips meant to help protect your Jeep battery from the ravages of our cold winters. These tips can only do so much, and might not be enough if your battery is too weak, but they can help protect an aging battery that still has some life left in it.
- Keep your battery clean; corrosion can interfere with the flow of electricity
- Check terminals for corrosion; white, green, bluish buildup
- Check for loose, dirty connections
- Check for cracked, damaged cables
- Clean any corrosion with battery-safe brush
- Tighten any loose connections
- Limit number of short trips; short drives don’t allow your alternator to fully recharge the battery
- Combine errands into one longer trip
- If you do have to make a short trip, allow your Jeep to run for several minutes before shutting it off
- Avoid repeated start-stop cycles in freezing temperatures
- Park in a garage or sheltered area; limit your vehicle’s exposure to extreme temperatures
- If you have no garage access, consider parking near a building to block wind
- Alternatively, use an insulated battery blanket that’s safe for automotive use
- Turn off accessories before shutting off engine; this way they don’t draw power next time you start
- Turn off heater
- Turn off lighting
- Unplug phone chargers
- Disable any other accessories
- Keep battery fully charged; the more charge your battery has, the more resistant it is to the cold
- Use a battery maintainer or trickle charger if you don’t drive often enough
- Start your Jeep every few days and let it run for 10–15 minutes
Stay Winter‑Ready with Jim Glover CDJRF
Remember, it’s always better to replace the battery if it’s showing signs of weakness. But if you can’t budget for a new battery right now, make sure you take as many steps as you can to protect your battery. But also keep in mind that your vehicle not starting up while you’re out and about is a real possibility and prepare accordingly. Pack extra warm clothing in your vehicle and make sure your emergency kit is updated and stocked, et cetera. If you have any questions about how to stay winter-ready here in Oklahoma, or if you’d like to inquire about your own Jeep’s battery, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us right here at Jim Glover CDJRF. We look forward to hearing from you!