As temperatures continue to drop over the next few days, many people may be wondering if their mode of transportation will be alright.
Tracy Noble with AAA said there were nearly 400 calls for malfunctioning batteries to AAA in Connecticut just on Wednesday. That number is up 94% from Wednesday of last week.
“Frigid temperatures are certainly nothing new to Connecticut and to New England as a whole, but we may forget that our cars need some extra attention during the winter. The battery being the biggest culprit," Noble said.
Stephen St. Germain, service manager at Mike's Auto Service, said the majority of their customers over the past week or so have come in for battery issues.
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“Probably the most common thing that we have is battery failures. Batteries are right on the edge of being good or bad in a normal temp and when it drops to the temps that we’ve been having lately, you just go out in the morning and your car won’t start,” he said.
St. Germain said now is the time to get ahead of any issues and get your car battery checked. When you bring it in, he said, the auto shop will do a load test to see whether it is good or bad. This will determine if it should be replaced or not.
“Most shops like ours we have a winter health check for your vehicle, which will check your battery, your tires, things of that nature and things that you’re going to need to have,” he said.
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AAA said tires are also important to pay attention to. Noble added that tire pressure fluctuates during the winter and drivers should make sure to keep them at the pressure suggested in their car's owner's manual. Checking the tire tread is also important.
"Of course, this time of year you want to check your tire tread. Take a quarter and insert it into the tire tread with George Washington upside down. If all of George Washington’s head can be seen, it’s time for new tires,” Noble explained.
St. Germain also suggested keeping your car with plenty of gas. He said this will help in keeping the tank from cracking. He added that a full tank of gas will also give your car more weight, which would help with driving in the snow.
Noble added that it is also time to update your winter emergency kit and keep it in your car. The kit should include things like a snow brush, an ice scraper, traction material, gloves, jumper cables, a flashlight, a blanket, and non-perishable snacks.
