Few Adjustments to Keep Your Car Engine Intact In Cold Weather

It's going to be extremely cold outside, particularly at night. It's possible that you'll have trouble starting your car in the morning. However, there are ways to lessen the harm that cold weather can do to your car. The car's engine resembles a heart, so you should take good care of it.

However, let's first understand why a vehicle, especially a car, struggles to start in extreme cold weather.

Why does a car’s engine hesitate to start in cold weather?

Winter usually comes hard on engines. One major cause is the reduced capacity of engine oil to flow through the system. In simple terms, engine oil usually gets thicker in the winter and takes longer to circulate throughout the engine as compared to the summer. In case you own a dodge car, and you are looking for an oil change then we would like to recommend Service My Car, the best and trusted dodge service center to change an engine oil for your dodge car.

Your car’s engine never had that smooth lubrication in the winter, especially in the mornings. Excessive friction would not be good for your car.

On the other hand, the car batteries do not like winter either. The battery can lose up to 50 percent of its charging capacity in a night due to the cold. However, this is not the case in the summer, therefore, you usually do not have much trouble starting a problem.

However, you cannot avoid running your car in winter, but some improvisation definitely would help you to deal with the issues such as failed starting or even engine problems due to excess friction that can lead to an expensive car engine repair.

Try to avoid long cranking while turning over your car

In winter, fuel usually takes extra seconds to travel to the engine, therefore, there is always a constant need to cranking up for more than ten to fifteen seconds and the engine is also in a cold state.

A long crank, however, might get you the desired result. But, such events are not good for the starter, as it requires tons of power in a very short span of time to turn over the engine. Being a tiny yet powerful motor, the frequent long cranking may damage the starter.

However, if the engine refuses to start, you do not need to press the accelerator. If your car’s engine cranks but there is no sign of it turning over, give it some time so that fuel can travel to the engine properly. For multiple attempts, give the starter enough time to cool down.

Do not let your vehicle crank for more than a few seconds or for more than ten seconds frequently. Excessive cranking is not so good for batteries either, as they might lose their current too easily. If you are dealing with such situation more often, this is an instance of flat battery.

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Hold on to your car key in the on position sometime before turning over your engine

Today’s cars do not need to settle down before turning over their engines. However, there is no problem giving a car some time (in the on position) before turning the key to start the engine, just for a few seconds.

Why is it necessary for you? Actually, in modern cars, you are allowing the ECU (Electronic Control Unit) to inspect the whole system, including the external temperature, so that it can make smart changes. It just takes a few seconds for everything to settle down and prepare your car’s engine.

Keep most accessories off, especially in the winter

Electronic accessories, such as climate control or a stereo, need electricity, however, the alternator is the primary source of supply while the engine is running. On the other hand, the battery takes on the load of supply in case the engine is off.

However, the battery itself tends to lose its capacity over night, and the active accessories can make it lose more. Therefore, it is necessary to turn off the majority of accessories for the night or even just before turning your car’s key.

Though the battery might have less power, all its power would be available to start your car. And once your car is started, you can enjoy the service of electronic accessories.

Just keeps your car engine running for some time before heading ahead

After you have successfully started the engine, you mostly look forward to driving immediately, considering the extreme cold. However, there is no problem driving your vehicle in such a way unless you have to wait for the defroster to complete its job and clean the windscreen.

But the best thing to do is to avoid driving instantly, not just in the cold but in every other temperature as well. You should not put your car’s engine into action unless it attains the optimal temperature. Though engines can manage lower RPMs or every day commutation but, when it comes to cruising on the highway or trailing some load, the engine needs some warm up initially.

Keeping your car’s engine well-maintained in winter is up to you, it requires a few adjustments. Besides, you should also take care of routine car maintenance when you expect optimal performance from your vehicle. Service My Car assists you in keeping your car in great shape in any season, whether it is winter or summer. However, you can book a car service or order a car repair on our website or app anytime.

Correct Your Driving If You Manifest Keeping Your Car Better For Longer Time

Not everyone has the good fortune to own a car. However, those who take pride in owning a car may not be aware of the maintenance and attachments required to keep it in working order. In addition to regular maintenance, there are other precautions you should take to keep your car in good shape.

But these things are connected to specific driving behaviours. While these habits may not initially seem harmful, they eventually damage your car and force you to pay more for unnecessary repairs.

Here’s a list of points you should consider if you really like to care for your car and avoid unnecessary spending on extra repairs.

Driving on low fuel most of the time

While some people fell prey to the enticement of thinking that driving on low fuel might save them some money, but it is entirely a false perception because running on low fuel is not good for the pump that circulates the fuel from the tank towards the engine. However, the pump needs to be covered with fuel for maximum efficiency.

This is not good for the machinery under the hood because it hurts the ignition system when you try to start your vehicle on very low fuel. This is not just making your fuel pump work harder but may also add some additional expense to your repair bills.

Therefore, it is better to avoid running on low fuel, otherwise you end up paying more when you are thinking of saving.

Pushing on the accelerator with a cold engine

Though there is a misconception about pushing the accelerator to warm up the engine quickly, but, it is entirely incorrect, as you are damaging your car engine by revving up at the start or, particularly, when the engine is cold.

A cold engine usually has a shortage of engine oil or low lubrication, and when it runs at high RPMs, the wear and tear would be more than normal. If you have to deal with a cold engine, it is better to start the car and wait for some time to get it warmed up. It allows your vehicle’s engine to attain complete lubrication properly.

Rough driving and frequent hard braking

Even while driving, the excitement to stay focused is quite prevalent. While running at high RPMs is permitted on highways, it is not advisable to do on city streets. Such driving places a great deal of stress on the transmission and drive train, but it also severely stresses the brakes.

To stop on a busy road after your car has gained high acceleration, you must apply the brakes firmly.

This implies that every time you accelerate and brake, you severely abuse your brake system's parts. To increase the lifespan of your car, it is better for you to accelerate and decelerate gradually. Else, you have to go for car brake pad replacement way before the stipulated time.

Get your car brakes repaired at Service My Cat at very competitive prices.

Using a shifting lever for resting your hand

In the case of a manual transmission, a driver usually has to manage a lot of dynamics. But sometimes they develop the habit of resting their hand on the shifting lever. However, it enables shifting of gears but may increase wear and tear on the bushings and consequently premature damage to the transmission unit.

Make use of the shifting lever only when it is necessary. Try to keep both hands on the steering wheel.

Instant shift from reverse to drive

You cannot deny the shifting of gears while driving your vehicle. However, there is no problem when you shift gears while driving forward, but a car suffers most when you change the movement from reverse to drive.

When you change gears, specifically from reverse to drive, while the car is moving, the transmission and drive train receive some sort of sudden jolt. This is definitely going to damage your car.

Following this process is helpful in avoiding car transmission repair.

Avoid overloading your vehicle

It is unfair to use your passenger car for the load. A vehicle's suspension, brakes, and—most importantly—engine would be under additional stress if it was carrying more weight than it is designed to.

A car will use more fuel when carrying more weight than usual, but it will also quickly wear down the tyres, especially if the wheels are not aligned properly. You will pay more for each additional unit of load.

Therefore, avoiding excess load and maintaining lightness is the best thing you can do to keep your vehicle in good condition for a long time. And do not avoid wheel alignment, come to Service My Car for a quick service.

Be mindful while driving downhill

When travelling downhill, a car naturally accelerates, and the driver's natural response is to immediately press the signal to slow down. However, abruptly applying the brakes will hurt the rotors and brake pads because of the excessive heat.

So the best course of action is to downshift and let the engine run at its best speed. It enables your drive train to naturally decompress as you go downhill.

These habits, people pick up unconsciously and continue to drive with the same. You should be updated on these things if you wish to drive your vehicle better.

Besides, you can avail of Service My Car to keep your car in fine tune. Just book a car service or order a car repair quote online on our website or app.

When it comes to car maintenance, the term "wheel alignment" is not unfamiliar. People who have been driving cars for a while definitely understand when wheel alignment is necessary.

A car cannot run in a straight line once its alignment is off. When you let the steering go loose and the car drags to one side on the road, things are quite visible.

Wheel and tyre alignment signifies the process of adjusting a vehicle’s suspension components to set the wheels and tyres at specific angles in order to create optimal handling, enhance performance, and mitigate tyre wear.

However, you should be aware of the cause behind the concern. It means what causes a wheel alignment to go bad.

Here we are sharing some of the genuine reasons that hamper a wheel’s alignment.

Are these your car’s tyres?

Once your car starts to drift to one side, the wheels are misaligned. However, the first thing that comes to mind is tyre pressure.

In case one of the front tyres has low pressure. The vehicle starts to drift to one side. This is because the low tyre’s diameter is lower than the properly inflated tyre on the other side, increasing its drag.

Usually, the wheel misalignment comes into play when there is a problem with the suspension. However, if it's just a tyre pressure, why not go for a tyre pressure check first?

Get your car’s pressure checked by an expert at Service My Car. However, there might be an instance of leakage too. That will come into play once you inflate your car’s tyres and they do not sustain for a long time.

Additionally, your mechanic will be able to spot uneven tread wear and decide if a wheel alignment may be required. Your issue might also get a fix by a tyre patch or repair.

Is it a spare tyre you replaced recently?

Have you replaced a spare tyre in place of a flat one or tried out a used one even though it bears the same brand as others? Wheel alignment would not be proper.

A spare tyre misses out on the equality of wear and tear, and there would be some sort of problems in traction, which reflect during a drifted drive of a car. However, you can use a spare tyre for some time to reach the destination or a repair centre where you can easily fix the flat tyre and get it back on the wheel.

Same goes with the new tyres, replace the tyres in sets (front or back in pair). If there is any difference in the tread, it would definitely hamper wheel alignment.

In most cases, the service centre offers a wheel alignment when a car’s owner goes for a tyre replacement.

Are brakes causing your vehicle to drift abruptly?

If your car drags abruptly to one side on the application of the brakes, there is a problem with the brake assembly. Some parts are in constant contact with the wheel, keeping it a bit slow.

This friction creates drag, resulting in the car pulling in that direction. If you’re experiencing these sudden pulls while driving, never delay getting your vehicle to an expert, get it to one immediately.

As brakes are critical for driving, you cannot afford any problem at all. However, Service My Car helps you run your car smoothly.

Is it your suspension that's causing the problem?

However, suspension of your car often comes out as a major reason behind misalignment. As wheels are configured at certain angles, there are always chances of certain disturbances over time. You may experience wheel misalignment sooner than expected if you mostly drive on rough surfaces or do not prefer to skip the potholes and bumps.

A car's alignment can be affected by specific components, too. Tyres that tilt are no longer positioned at the ideal angle due to worn or loose wheel bearings.

However, you should consult to a mechanic to get a quick diagnosis and fix at Service My Car.

Is your car’s wheel alignment due?

Your car might just need a fresh wheel alignment if you haven't run into any of these problems but are still experiencing drift. Alignment is necessary, but this can change depending on where you live and the type of roads you drive on.

However, regular tyre alignments may improve your vehicle's performance and tread wear if you frequently drive on rough roads or occasionally hit curbs and speed bumps.

However, if there are no visible signs of a possible misalignment, it is better to choose a wheel alignment at Service My Car at least once a year.

Service My Car offers pickup and delivery of your vehicle with quality service. You can rely on years of expertise in automobile care. You just need to book a car service or order a car repair quote at our website or app. Leave the rest to our skilled service professionals. You also get all the information at your fingertips.