How a Car Battery Works
Before learning how to protect your car battery in cold weather, it's important to know how your INFINITI's battery works. Just like your TV remote, a car needs a battery to function. When the battery dies, your vehicle won't start.
While the science can get a little complex, simply put, after the battery starts the engine, the alternator takes over and keeps the vehicle's electrical systems going while you drive. When the vehicle isn't running, the battery provides power to the electrical systems and can become completely discharged if the engine isn't running.
Like all batteries, car batteries have positive and negative electrodes. There are multiple thin plates inside each cell that work together to create 12 volts. Traditional batteries are lead-acid based, and not meant to be deeply discharged, which can happen when the car's interior lights are left on, for example. Repeated deep discharges can cause the battery to wear out much quicker than the expected three to five years that batteries generally last.
Why Batteries Go Dead in Winter
The voltage provided by the battery is the result of a chemical reaction inside its internal cells. When temperatures dip, the chemical reaction slows down, which can result in the battery using up to twice the amount of current normally required to start the engine. This deep draw can shorten the life of the battery. In fact, a car battery can lose about 35% of its strength at 32°F and 60% of its strength at 0°F.
Cold temperatures can force your battery to work harder, but so can other factors. The terminals — one positive and one negative — stick out of the top of your battery. Suppose you see white, crusty powder around those terminals. That's corrosion, which increases electrical resistance and interferes with the battery charge, making your battery work harder to start your engine. Talk to your nearest INFINITI service center about cleaning corrosion from your battery. It can typically be scrubbed away at home with baking soda, water, and a toothbrush.
Signs of a Weakening Battery
While you won't always get a warning before your battery fails — inevitably on the coldest day of the year — there are some common signs to watch out for, including:
- Slow cranking when you start your vehicle
- Corrosion on the terminals
- Clicking noises when you try to start your vehicle
- Failing electronic accessories, such as dim dome lights
- Dim or yellow headlights
- A swollen or cracked battery case
- Illuminated dashboard battery warning light
How to Protect Your Car Battery in Winter
Get your battery tested early and often.
There's no escaping the cold, but there are ways to protect your car battery in cold weather. Before finger-numbing temperatures hit, have the battery tested to see how much power remains. If the battery is more than five years old and losing power, consider replacing it as a safety precaution.
We recommend that you visit your nearest INFINITI service center for a complementary battery test. In less than one minute, one of our trusted factory-trained technicians can check your battery and let you know if it's safe for the road, needs to be recharged or needs to be replaced.
Use a battery blanket.
Is your battery safe for the road? Consider installing a specialized battery blanket to keep it warm when not in use. Follow instructions in the product manual to set-up the blanket. Wrap the blanket — a small heating pad that plugs into an electrical outlet — around your INFINITI's battery to keep your car's battery warm and battery fluid from freezing.
Let your battery charge.
Finally, as tempting as it might be to immediately crank up the seat warmers and tunes when you get in your car, resist the temptation and minimize the use of accessories that could drain the battery — at least initially. This includes the heater, radio, and things like a cell phone charger. They'll use up the power coming from the car's alternator, which can prevent the battery from charging.
Let your alternator charge up the battery for a bit, and then feel free to crank up the heat. Just remember to turn everything off before you get out of the car, so your battery isn't bombarded when you start it up again.
Is Your Battery Ready for Winter?
If your battery is strong and fully charged, then these tips and tricks can work well to protect it from the dangers of low temperatures. However, they won't do much good if your battery is nearing the end of its lifespan. You can buy a genuine INFINITI battery online or stop by your nearest INFINITI dealer for a quick battery check.