5 Reasons Your Car is Hard to Start (Especially When It’s Cold)
When you have trouble starting your engine, it can feel terrible. It’s even worse when it’s cold outside, but the situation is more likely to occur in winter.
You might have a lot of different thoughts running through your mind as to why your engine is so hard to start.
If your engine won’t start easily, all the possible worst-case scenarios might be running through your mind. But in most cases, a hard-to-start engine has nothing to do with its general condition.
The problem could be related to one of the vehicle’s many electrical components or even the engine oil. Read on for the top reasons why your car or truck might be hard to start, especially in cold weather. The 5 Most Common Reasons for Hard-to-Start in the Cold :
Car Hard to Start in the Cold
There are a lot of things that can cause your engine to be hard to start, especially in cold weather. Below are the 5 most common causes that you should investigate immediately if you notice such a problem. A jump start from another vehicle or a portable jump starter may be sufficient. But if you continue to ignore the problem, eventually you will not be able to start the engine at all, perhaps even in your garage or driveway.
1) Battery Issues (Cold Jump Start)
Car owners are surprised to learn that cold outside temperatures can have a negative effect on their car batteries. For a battery to function properly, chemical reactions must occur within the battery.
Cold temperatures slow down these chemical reactions, preventing the battery from producing enough current to power the starter. When this condition occurs, the engine will have difficulty starting.
2) Bad Ignition Switch (Symptoms of a Bad Ignition Switch)
The ignition switch is located in the internal combustion engine. It is responsible for starting up the vehicle’s electrical components after you turn the key in the ignition. The ignition switch must function in order for the engine to start and run properly. If the ignition switch is damaged or worn, the engine will be difficult to start.
3) Faulty Starter Motor (Faulty Starter Motor)
The starter motor starts the engine. If the starter motor is defective, you will have starting problems. Like most components in a vehicle, the starter motor will eventually be subject to wear and tear. If you turn the key in the ignition and nothing happens, you know you have a problem with the starter. If you only see a dim light after turning the key, the car might start, but it will be very slow.
4) Wrong Oil (or Too Thick) (low oil symptoms)
When the outside temperature gets colder, the oil in the engine thickens. When the oil gets too thick, it has a hard time circulating through the engine and lubricating the components.
When that happens, the engine has to work harder to push the oil out. This will eventually cause problems starting and driving your car. Make sure you are using the correct type and viscosity of oil as specified in your owner’s manual.
Or, your oil may have simply thickened because you haven’t had an oil change in a long time. Change your oil regularly according to your vehicle manufacturer’s recommended oil change intervals.
5) Faulty Starter Solenoid
The starter solenoid is responsible for transmitting electrical current within the starter system. This cylindrical coil of wire can wear down over time.
If this happens, your vehicle’s electrical equipment and engine will have difficulty starting. To fix this problem, you will need to replace this coil.
