What a Cincinnati cold snap does to your car battery

Cold slows the chemistry inside the battery

A lead-acid battery makes less power as the temperature drops. The chemical reaction that produces current simply runs slower in the cold, so a battery that cranks the engine fine in August can struggle on the first freezing morning.

An older battery already near the end of its life has less reserve to lose. Cold does not create the weakness, it exposes one that was already there.

Cold mornings across Hamilton County

• • Slow crank The engine turns over noticeably slower than it did the day before.
• • Dim dash lights Interior and dash lights look weaker than usual when the key first turns.
• • A clicking sound A single click or rapid clicking when you turn the key usually means the battery cannot deliver enough current.

A single-digit morning hits every driveway in the county at once, from Norwood to Forest Park to Sharonville. A few warning signs show up before a battery quits completely.

Same-day help before the cold gets worse

A weak battery rarely gets better overnight. Same-day mobile service can test the battery and the charging system at your home or office, and replace the battery on the spot if that is what it needs.

Getting it handled the same day it starts acting up is usually easier than waiting for a morning it does not start at all.

Battery or alternator: two different problems

A battery that will not hold a charge and an alternator that is not charging the battery can look identical from the driver's seat. Both show up as dimming lights or a car that will not start.

A quick test at your car tells the difference, since replacing a battery will not fix a failing alternator, and the other way around.

Frequently Asked Questions