Car - Frozen - Won't Start!

WaltKowalski

I should have been on the road an hour ago but my car won't start - I presume it's something to do with the -12 degree temperature outside!
It worked ok yesterday evening.
Anyone any recommendations on what I can do to get motoring?

MarkR

Is it petrol or diesel? Do you think the water in the radiator may be frozen, or maybe a battery issue?

WaltKowalski

Thanks for the reply.
It a little 1l petrol.
The radio and lights work - would that indicate that the battery is ok?
I'm totally clueless with stuff like this.
Have a kettle of water boiled - should I poor that over stuff under the hood?!

mawk

will the starter motor turn over? if not its probably the battery. they dont love cold. have you tried jumping it or push starting it?
if its turning over but not starting, check your breakdown kit for a can of ez-start or similar product and spray some into the air intake.

if you live on a hill, gamble.. put it in second, clutch down roll to nearly the bottom of the hill and pop the clutch and turn the key at the same time. im of to work too, good luck and hope you get started.

edit,
if the lights dim when you turn the key then its a bad battery, if not then its likely something else

MarkR

The radiator is towards the front of the car. There is a small twist cap that you can open by turning. That should have a mixture of water and antifreeze in it when you open it. If the radiator had been leaking, and you've been topping it up with water, then it is liable to freeze in cold weather.

If when you turn the key the lights die, or you don't hear the car trying to turn over, it may be the battery.

Those are the main guesses why a car wouldn't start when very cold.

irelandspurs

it will be the battery,mine is the same has been working fine but minus 8 got it the other morning,i bumped and was fine.where are you

WaltKowalski

Well it does sound like it's trying to start.

If the radiator had been leaking, and you've been topping it up with water, then it is liable to freeze in cold weather.

I've never done anything with the car.

check your breakdown kit

I'd imagine that that's a practical thing to have - I must get one.

if you live on a hill, gamble..

I do, but it'd be an awful road to leave a car at the side of in this weather.

Will check if the lights dim now.

WaltKowalski

The lights dim a lot when I try to start it.
Battery so?

irelandspurs

yep get someone to push you or ask for jump leads

WaltKowalski

irelandspurs wrote: »

it will be the battery,mine is the same has been working fine but minus 8 got it the other morning,i bumped and was fine.where are you

In the whest! Can I take it out an out it beside heat?!

irelandspurs

Doubt it you'll need a new battery as its lost its power but you can jump it and use which will bring charge back to it but the next cold night will drain it again,does anyone around you have jump leads.
If you can get the car rolling a small bit yourself you could bump start it

WaltKowalski

irelandspurs wrote: »

does anyone around you have jump leads.

Ya - working on this now. Thanks for the advise.
Must stop being a silly, useless woman and learn how to look after my car.

irelandspurs

Next time you come to start it make sure all your lights and radio wipers etc are off before you go to start it because if there is any charge in the battery these will drain it before you get chance to start the car.
How old is the car.

irelandspurs

do you have AA RESCUE or check your insurance you normally have breakdown with them,ring them and they'll come out and jump it for you

MarkR

Ring around the relatives / friends and see if any one has jump leads. Local taxi's will sometime call out with jump leads if it's quiet.

Where are you?

biko

WaltKowalski wrote: »

Must stop being a silly, useless woman and learn how to look after my car.

Don't worry, there's been plenty of men posting here with same issues as yourself.
Learn from this mistake and make sure car is prepared for winter after this.
There are a few threads with tips already, do a search. Don't just leave it to next time.

bbam

I wouldn't recommend push starting a car in this weather, especially if you've never done it before, with ice and snow on lots of estates it's just too risky.. And if you don't get it right you're car will be stranded
Jumpleads are you're solution... you should get yourself a pair for a few bob!!

Also as mentioned above, see if you have homestart with your car insurance... There are cheaper options than AA (Blue Insurance, for one) but you may have to wait a little longer...

Biglad

Advice of letting it run down the hill and gamble really is no advice at all and pure dangerous in current conditions...

Get a new battery fitted.

gyppo

A little tip that got me out of bother before - pour a kettle of boiling water on your battery, and give it 10 minutes before you try starting the car. Sometimes thats enough to bring your battery up to a temp where it can deliver enough power to start the car.

Also, when trying to start your car, ensure everything that is not needed is turned off - radio, heater fans, windscreen heaters, etc..

corktina

WaltKowalski wrote: »

.
Have a kettle of water boiled - should I poor that over stuff under the hood?!

no.....it might unfreeze something short term but if it doesnt work, you wont start it for sure with a couple of pints of now-freezing water on your electrics. Almost certainly your battery has given up the ghost....

jimmycrackcorm

gyppo wrote: »

A little tip that got me out of bother before - pour a kettle of boiling water on your battery,

Obviously you wouldn't want to have the water conducting between the two terminals though.... :eek:

zapata

gyppo wrote: »

pour a kettle of boiling water into a hot water bottle and place on your battery, and give it 10 minutes before you try starting the car.

Maybe gyppo forgot to put in the above in to that sentence.

laois hibby

make sure there is anti freeze in your radiator.
happened to me a few years ago in scotland. -26 frozen radiator and engine. STRIPPED the timing belt trying to start it. engine was frozen solid

gyppo

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

Obviously you wouldn't want to have the water conducting between the two terminals though.... :eek:

Sorry, I should have stated the obvious part!

folan

has been happening to me too. Its definatly the battery. And its a pain in the arse.

Hal1

I heard a myth that pouring some red wine into the battery will recharge it :pac:. Just something I heard I know it's sounds daft, but if it works...

biko

Red wine is the cause, and solution, to many of life's problems

-Corkie-

biko wrote: »

Red wine is the cause, and solution, to many of life's problems

Yes I have one today......:o

MarkR

OP may have frozen to deat waiting for someone to help. Let this be a lesson to ye all.

Blanket and an oil heater maybe? Drape blanket over bonnet and rad and see can that warm it up.

Feck it though, it just sounds like the battery. Jump leads all the way.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4753171_jump-start-cars.html

WaltKowalski

Thanks for all the advice.
It was the battery - I got going after a quick jump start.
Same thing will prob happen tomorrow - but at least I'll be a bit prepared.

irelandspurs

WaltKowalski wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice.
It was the battery - I got going after a quick jump start.
Same thing will prob happen tomorrow - but at least I'll be a bit prepared.

I get going with a jump in the morning to

WaltKowalski

bbam wrote: »

see if you have homestart with your car insurance... There are cheaper options than AA (Blue Insurance, for one) but you may have to wait a little longer...

I have call out service with my insurance - but it would relatively expensive as I live out in the shticks and they charge by length of call out.

WaltKowalski

mawk wrote: »

if its turning over but not starting, check your breakdown kit for a can of ez-start or similar product and spray some into the air intake.

Where would one buy a break down kid? A garage?

WaltKowalski

Found some - Halfords.

Thanks again!

jimmyw

mawk wrote: »

will the starter motor turn over? if not its probably the battery. they dont love cold. have you tried jumping it or push starting it?
if its turning over but not starting, check your breakdown kit for a can of ez-start or similar product and spray some into the air intake.

if you live on a hill, gamble.. put it in second, clutch down roll to nearly the bottom of the hill and pop the clutch and turn the key at the same time. im of to work too, good luck and hope you get started.

edit,
if the lights dim when you turn the key then its a bad battery, if not then its likely something else

You dont need to do this, thats what letting out the clutch does.You dont need to wait until the bottom of the hill either.

irelandspurs

You'll need to get a new battery as it'll keep happening,don't get from halford though because they much dearer

WaltKowalski

Car wouldn't start one other morning for me during the cold snap - so got the jump leads out again.

I will get a new battery - but should I wait until after the next promised cold snap passes?

bmw535d

jimmyw wrote: »

You dont need to do this, thats what letting out the clutch does.You dont need to wait until the bottom of the hill either.

on some modern cars you do. it's to prevent theft afaik, it is also advisable to heat the heater plugs as you roll down the hill, turning the key can also damping the jerk on high compression engines while doing this.when you at the bottom of the hill you would have the most momentum, which helps if the engine needs a few turns over to start.

irelandspurs

WaltKowalski wrote: »

Car wouldn't start one other morning for me during the cold snap - so got the jump leads out again.

I will get a new battery - but should I wait until after the next promised cold snap passes?

no get one now as the new battery will have enough power to withstand it,also i think new battery will come with warrenty so if it were to go with in few months they should change it.

grudgebringer

WaltKowalski wrote: »

Car wouldn't start one other morning for me during the cold snap - so got the jump leads out again.

I will get a new battery - but should I wait until after the next promised cold snap passes?

Get the new battery, it'll be fine then for a couple of years so the cost per year for one is under 20 quid, worth it in my opinion to be sure your car will start in the morning!

If your car is something like a Micra or similar it'll cost around 65-90 quid depending on the 'quality' of battery you get, thats shopping from Halfords, checking around in some other motor factors may get you a cheaper price for same quality product. Don't skimp though on the battery, get the best you can afford it'll be worth it in the long run.