About the cars and extreme cold weather
By Marie Coyle
@MarieCoyle (53898)
January 26, 2026 10:25am CST
Most of you no doubt know this information, but maybe it will help someone, so here I am babbling about it.
If you were hit by this storm and are fighting piles of snow/ice and extremely cold temperatures, and your vehicle is sitting outside for several days...things can and may well happen. Extreme cold zaps battery life, for sure. There are other issues that extreme cold can cause in your vehicle if it's out in the elements--low tire pressure, frozen fuel lines and other fluids, sluggish oil, cracks in various hoses, etc.
I currently have two neighbors who didn't park in their garages...and they have dead cars now. The cars aren't but a year or two old, either. So if you need to, bundle up and go out and start the car. Sit in it and let it run for at least 15-20 minutes. It could save you a ton of time and trouble!
15 people like this
12 responses
@kaylachan (82500)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
21h
And money.
George and I kept our van in the garage for a year while he wasn't driving. We had to replace the battery and that was it.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (53898)
•
19h
I can understand having to replace the battery after a year of it's sitting. It's good that it had no other issues.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (67715)
• Centralia, Washington
17h
@MarieCoyle I don't miss the dread and wonder whether the roads were ice free and snow free. Those steep ditches! Nope. Not doing that again.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (53898)
•
19h
Well, if you own a car, at some point you will have to put air in a tire or two. But I know what you mean--when you have to, you have to. I am sure you don't miss getting up early and scraping windows!
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (53898)
•
14h
@sallypup
It's good that you don't have to. I check road conditions, etc. when things are bad outside, but of course that doesn't always tell the whole story.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (167411)
• United States
14h
Before the storm got here we fueled everything so there was less of a chance of water in the lines or frozen gas lines. The Mazda performed just fine today. We do not have the option of a garage.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (53898)
•
26 Jan
The two neighbors I mentioned hadn't driven anywhere or started their cars since Friday due to the bad weather and extreme cold. The one neighbor has two cars, and their second car sits out all the time. But the other neighbor could have parked in his garage and he just didn't--he usually does. One of them texted me to ask if I had a battery charger (I don't). Hopefully, they can get their cars started.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (201921)
• United States
22h
@MarieCoyle I am gonna do that in a few not looking forward to going out there..but I can check the mailbox.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (88249)
• United States
26 Jan
That's a really good reminder. It would be horrible to dig out a car and then have it not start.
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@MarieCoyle (53898)
•
19h
It really would. All of that work and then it might not start, ugh!
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@DianneN (247418)
• United States
22h
You are so right about that. We had our car shipped to FL. Because we had no room for it in our garage, we left it out in our driveway with a brand new car bought in July. As it got colder in CT, the battery light in my car kept coming on. Hubs had it checked out and the dealership told us it was due to the cold. Since it arrived in FL, the light has been off. It’s a 2023 model, so we were very surprised. My son has our other car in his driveway. He starts it or drives it often, but it never had the battery light go on like our other car. Sheesh!
1 person likes this
@DianneN (247418)
• United States
19h
@MarieCoyle Your dad was very wise.
Thank goodness for our son. We don’t know what we would do without him taking care of our car and keeping an eye on the house while we’re in FL. We have one car in the garage that’s on 2 trickle charges. It works wonders and starts the battery and convertible immediately now when we get home. Such problems. I know.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (53898)
•
19h
My Dad always said, a car that isn't driven will eventually develop problems of some type. It's good that your son is caring for your other car for you!
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (53898)
•
19h
Well, car batteries have gone way, way up in price. It seems like it wasn't that long ago they were $50-$60. Depending on your car...the average is now pretty much at least $100, and can go all the way up to $350-$400!! That's just nuts!
@celticeagle (184778)
• Boise, Idaho
16h
My mom used to put a heater up in the engine area of the old car she drove when we first came back to Boise. That helped. It was back in the mid 60s.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (53898)
•
15h
There are now some type of heated battery wraps a person can buy for when your car has to sit out.. I don't know anyone who has ever tried one though.
When we lived in Montana, pretty much everyone there had an engine block heater. Usually, a mechanic would install it. A plug in thingy went through the front grill of the car. In bitter weather everyone plugged in their cars. When we went downtown, or to work, or to a store, etc. it was very common to see most cars plugged in to small poles similar to parking meters. There was no charge to plug your car in. I am more than sure that has all changed since we lived there!
@JESSY3236 (21424)
• United States
1h
My mother had cranked up her car yesterday morning. She did have to get air in her tires a few days ago.
@LindaOHio (211988)
• United States
2h
Fortunately I don't have to worry about cars anymore; but thank you for the tips.
@Nakitakona (59582)
• Philippines
11h
I have read from the news about that snow storm particularly in America and seen the video in FB or Tiktok. It's scary. Hope you are safe there.
@LooeyVille (64)
• United States
23h
Good to know. I haven't lived without a garage in over 30 years so
I had forgotten this
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (53898)
•
19h
The last place I lived, I had a carport instead of a garage. I didn't like that. I love having a garage.
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