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Dead battery on cold mornings only?

Updated: 10/25/2022
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14y ago

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Batteries are weaker, and cars harder to start at cold temperatures. So, chances are pretty good that the battery is near the end of its life. However, before spending that money, it's worth checking a couple of things:

1) Is the charging system (alternator and regulator) operating correctly? Put a voltmeter on the battery terminals, and you should see around 13.8 to 14.4 volts with the engine running above idle. It should be able to maintain that kind of voltage even with the headlights on and the heater going.

2) Are the cables and connections in good condition? A voltmeter between the battery terminal and starter terminal post should show how much voltage is dropped in the cable, connections, and solenoid. Alternatively, just measure the voltage at the battery and at the starter while cranking. It isn't unusual for a good battery to drop as low as 8 volts while cranking.

3) And, if possible, use a good battery charger to top up the battery, then have a load test done - some auto parts stores will do that for you if you bring the battery in.

4) And one other thing: check if anything on the car is still drawing current with it parked and the ignition off. It's possible that a trunk light switch fails and is stuck on, for instance.

Fluke's "Testing Electrical Systems with a Digital Multimeter" is worth reading:

http://assets.fluke.com/appnotes/automotive/beatbook.pdf

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