Motorists Reminded to Check Vehicle Batteries Ahead of Winter Season
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WHEELING - As the winter season approaches, AAA East Central and a local towing service are reminding area motorists to check their vehicle batteries to avoid being stranded during the colder months.
AAA officials said they are bracing for an increase in roadside assistance calls for dead batteries as colder temperatures arrive. The less you drive, the higher your chances are of having a dead vehicle battery.
According to data from last winter, AAA East Central contractors responded to 66,548 battery-related calls and replaced 14,198. With the pandemic leaving many vehicles dormant for weeks or months, AAA officials advise vehicle owners to have their batteries tested sooner rather than later to avoid a breakdown.
Mike Hoshaw, vice president of automotive services at AAA East Central said year to year their number one call during the winter months is for dead batteries.
"This year, we could see that skew even higher," Hoshaw explained. “Cars are born to run, and letting them sit idle for long periods of time is setting them up to fail,” he commented.
Locally, Ace Garage Employee Don Atkinson said while they get a lot of calls in regard to testing batteries year-round, the colder months are particularly tough on car batteries -- especially when the temperature plummets into the single digits.
"We get battery calls everyday," Atkinson explained.
Ace Garage owner Brian Coyne said his garage responded to 76 battery related calls just in the month of September. He said with the onset of colder temperatures he expects that number to nearly double. "Not everybody is buying a battery, but they are testing them," Coyne explained. He said Ace Garage can test, deliver, and install a new battery if needed. He said they have 30 to 40 batteries in stock that will accommodate most vehicles.
Coyne recommends for anyone who lets a vehicle sit idle for a few months at a time inside a garage area -- it is a good idea to consider connecting a battery slow charger/maintainer kit.
"There's a lot of people in this area ... that pack up in November and they go to Florida for two months. They can call and we can come out and install one of these battery maintainers on their car," he explained.
Batteries supply the electrical current needed to start a vehicle, but they also power components and accessories when the engine isn’t running, according to AAA officials. If a vehicle doesn’t run regularly, there’s less of a chance for the alternator and charging system to maintain a charge in the battery. In addition, the heat from the summer sun is particularly damaging to its internal components. In the winter, that damage typically manifests in the form of a dead battery, particularly after cold snaps.
AAA East Central advises motorists have their entire charging system and battery tested, especially if the battery is more than three years old. According to AAA, most car batteries last 3 to 5 years. AAA members can request battery service on-the-spot as part of their membership.
Other items on AAA’s Winter Car Care Checklist include:
* Check tire tread (Testing the tire’s tread is easy: insert a quarter into a tread groove with the top of George Washington’s head facing down. If you can see the top of Washington’s head, it’s time to start shopping for new tires)
* Check tire pressure: Typically, tire pressure decreases 1 PSI for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit that the temperature drops — putting owners at risk for a flat tire. The proper tire pressure levels can be found on a sticker located on the driver’s side door jamb. (Don’t forget to check the spare)
* Replace faulty wiper blades: Replace blades that leave streaks or miss spots. Consider installing winter wiper blades that wrap the blade in a rubber boot to prevent ice and snow buildup.
* Check windshield washer fluid: Fill the windshield washer fluid reservoir with a cleaning solution that has antifreeze components.
* Check Coolant Levels: If your engine coolant level is low, add the recommended coolant to maintain the necessary antifreeze capability.