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How does cold weather kill a car battery?

Why does cold weather kill car batteries? I left my car outside last winter and the battery died overnight! My mechanic said it was because of the cold.

avatar
Joshua Levy · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Cold weather can kill your battery by slowing down the chemical reactions that keep it running. Way back in high school chemistry, you probably learned something about chemical reactions happening faster in the heat and slower in the cold.
In normal temperatures, your battery will run as it should. In high temperatures, it might overheat.
But the reaction is so slow in freezing temperatures that your battery could lose up to 60% of its strength! Here are a few tips to
save your battery from the cold
:
  • Get a battery blanket. Battery blankets are a relatively cheap product that you can wrap around your battery to keep it warm.
  • Park your car inside. Keeping your car inside is a great way to keep it out of the cold.
  • Make sure it’s charged. A charged battery will resist the cold for longer than a drained one! Keeping it charged could stop your battery from freezing.
In case your battery does die at an inconvenient time or place, you can always count on
Jerry
for roadside assistance. Jerry’s roadside assistance membership gives you access to their nationwide network of 55,000+ service providers. So no matter when or where, Jerry can help you with jump starts, lockout services, key replacements, towing, and more for as low as $4.16 a month.
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.

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