How to help the car start in the cold. How to start a car in severe frost: tips from experienced drivers

24.05.2019

Engine

Theoretically, any gasoline engine capable of starting in frost -30, but only on condition that it is fully operational. The ignition and fuel supply systems must function properly. Also, the engine must be filled with the appropriate climatic conditions technical fluids. In addition, the vehicle must have a fully charged battery.

If you already have to start the engine in severe frost, then you need to heed the advice of experienced motorists.

Ideally, the car should be warm, then there will be no problems with starting. But not all car owners have such a room.

If the car has to spend the night in severe frost, it is advisable to warm it up at least a couple of times, then in the morning the engine will start without problems. Of course, you can take the battery away for the night in a warm room, but not everyone has such an opportunity. In addition, it causes great inconvenience to the car owner.

Proper engine start

When starting an engine that has stood in the cold, you need to:

Warm up the battery a little. . To do this, turn on seconds for 10-15 high beam headlights Next, be sure to squeeze the clutch so that the engine does not transfer the load from the gearbox. After that, without including energy consumers, try to start the engine. Do not turn the starter for more than 20 seconds, the battery can quickly sit down.
If the starter turns the engine normally, but it does not start for a long time, you should try purge the combustion chambers of gasoline ; To do this, you need to fully depress the gas pedal and scroll the starter.
If purge didn't help, Could it be the spark plugs . Most likely, they were flooded with cold fuel and this prevents starting. In this case, you need to turn out the candles and wipe them or put new kit. A more effective option would be to ignite the candles on a gas stove. Hot candles will help quick start engine.
In addition to the methods described above, help the engine start quickly special means sold in car dealerships. They are added to the fuel intake system and contribute to the revitalization of the engine.

If after all the ways to start a cold engine, nothing happened, you should not torment the car. It is easier to tow it to a warm room for warming.

Experienced motorists advise pouring 100-150 grams of gasoline into the oil in severe frosts. After that, start the engine and let it run for a while so that the gasoline and oil mix. It will do engine oil more liquid and after idle will give an easy start.

To forget once and for all about the problem of starting the engine in sub-zero temperatures, you can install special devices that heat the motor:

fuel preheater;
electric starting heater;
alarm with remote start car;
heat accumulators.

WITH sharp drops temperature and just a cold snap, many car owners are faced with the problem of starting a frozen car. Even when it is not very cold, problems arise for a car that has stood for several days without moving. Everyone has it vehicle the reason for this "hibernation" may be different, but there are several similar problems that manifest themselves at low temperatures in many.

We will not cover all, but most typical problems with engine start. This may be a small single malfunction, or it may be a whole range of problems that need to be addressed. If you properly maintain your car, follow the requirements of the operating instructions, then some of them simply will not affect you. But if you still have difficulties, then here are the most common solutions:

Weak battery

Cause A: The battery may not hold a charge well due to age (more than 3 years), internal defects, or misuse.

signs: the starter does not turn the engine at all or turns it unstable, while the lights on the instrument panel are dim.

Solutions:

If the battery somehow reacts to attempts to start the car, then you can try to turn on the low beam headlights for a few seconds. This will help "wake up" the battery, and on the next try it will give required amount energy.
Check the battery terminals: Dirt or oxidation often breaks the connection. Cleaning them can restore normal current flow.
Start car with mechanical box pusher gears.
"Smoking" from another car.
If you have time, you can remove the battery and take it to a warm place to warm it up.
Radical measure- installation new battery, preferably larger capacity.

Prevention:

Remove the battery and take it to heat for the night (this is what most car owners of the Siberian and Ural regions do).
Install a system that will monitor the temperature of the engine, and when it drops to the set level, the electronics can independently start the car and maintain the "working" temperature.

Starter malfunction

Cause: in the event of a malfunction due to internal disturbances or misalignment, the starter consumes a large number of current and does not output the necessary power to scroll the frozen engine.

signs: the starter does not turn when guaranteed good battery. During the start of the engine, in addition to the usual sounds, an unpleasant noise appeared.

Solutions: starter repair or replacement.

Prevention: No.

Excessively thick engine oil

Cause: due to the low temperature, the oil "keeps" the moving parts power units. Most often this happens if the oil is old and heavily contaminated, does not meet the operating temperature conditions, or is simply of inadequate quality.

signs: fresh battery and a serviceable starter turn the engine with great difficulty, and a dense consistency is visible on the oil dipstick.

Solutions: it is almost impossible to quickly change frozen oil. You need to either wait for warming, or warm the car in a warm room. With a manual gearbox, you can “drag” the car in tow for some time so that the shaft turns.

Prevention:

Monitor oil quality by buying branded brands in trusted places with numbers in the 0W or 5W index, synthetics for new cars and semi-synthetics for cars with mileage over 100,000 km. Before pouring new oil, the canister with it can be left in the cold. If it has retained its consistency - everything is in order, but if it has thickened a lot and does not splash (this can be understood without opening the package) - return it to the seller.
As a last resort, before long-term parking when the car can cool down completely, immediately after the engine is turned off, you can pour 100-200 ml of gasoline into the crankcase. The fuel will dilute the oil and the engine will spin. This procedure is harmless enough, but you should not abuse it. Especially undesirable "dilution" for modern engines, which require various lubricating, cleaning and antioxidant additives.

Ignition system misaligned

Cause: due to problems in wiring or parts high voltage does not reach the candles (or comes in a very weakened form), and a spark is not produced.

signs: the starter turns, the shaft turns, but the car does not start. The check is divided into three stages: a spark in a distributor, a spark in a candle and the candle itself. It is necessary to pull out the central wire from the cover of the distributor and bring it to some unpainted part of the mass of the car by one centimeter. When the key is turned in the ignition, a spark can be seen near the wire and a characteristic clicking sound can be heard. If they are not, then the problem is in the coil or high-voltage wires. The current may also not reach the candles. To check this, you need to remove the wire from any candle, bring it to the mass by 5 mm and again try to start the car. The spark will be weaker and quieter, but you can see it. This procedure is best done with gloves or by wrapping the candle wire in an insulating cloth. If there is voltage, then the problem is in the candles, if not, then in the cover of the distributor, slider or wiring. Wiring problems can be detected if you start the car in the dark - then all the "weak" places glow from small sparks of bad contacts.

Solutions:

In relatively high humidity, spraying the high-voltage wires with a special water-repellent spray can help.
Replacing or calcining candles, replacing a distributor, high-voltage wires or an individual coil (depending on the car model).

Prevention: before the cold weather in the service, adjust the ignition system, this will also have a positive effect on fuel consumption.

Bad gasoline or its supply is broken

Cause: diluted gasoline. If the fuel is diluted with lower quality, then this is reflected in the power of the car and the contamination of its parts. But if gasoline is simply mixed with water, then in the cold it and condensate freeze. Condensation can disrupt the entire fuel system or one of its sections - from the filter to the fuel pump.

signs: all systems work well, but the engine does not “seize”, while the candles are dry, and the exhaust pipe smells of unburned gasoline or there is no fumes. If you keep an open fire above a small spot of gasoline at a distance of 5-6 cm, and it does not ignite, then there is too much water in the fuel, and it does not allow carbohydrates to evaporate. The unscrewed candle is either completely dry (gasoline is not supplied or there is none at all), or filled with gasoline

Solutions: use so-called "gasoline dryers" according to the instructions, if the problem is only a fire. If this does not help, then you need to wait for warming or warm the car in a warm room. After warming up, if possible, drain bad gasoline and clean / dry all elements of the system.

Prevention:

Refuel at trusted gas stations.
If there is any doubt about the quality of the fuel, then use additives that bind water to the gel, at each refueling.
How more gasoline in the gas tank, the fewer surfaces on which water can condense. Accordingly, in winter it is better not to drive with a half-empty tank.
Filter installation fine cleaning with a sump that will collect excess water. The closer it is to the gas tank, the better.

Everything works, but the spark plugs are flooded

Cause: The spark plugs are so dirty that no spark can enter the ignition chamber. Or until other systems worked, gasoline was supplied to the combustion chambers and “filled” the candles, representing no air mixture, but a liquid.

signs: the unscrewed spark plugs are completely covered with gasoline. It is best to check them before the battery is completely dead. The exhaust smells like unburned gasoline.

Solutions:

If the situation has not reached a critical level, then you need to temporarily stop trying to start the engine. Wait a few minutes for the petrol to "drain". Turn the engine with the starter for a few seconds, fully depressing the gas pedal, to "ventilate" the cylinders and try again. The driest cylinders can “grab” and pull the rest along with them.
Cleaning of candles, their calcination or replacement. Unscrewed candles can be cleaned with a simple toothbrush and a modern cleaning agent. The main thing is not to get carried away and not damage the insulating layer. Candles can be ignited on the burner of the stove until they cannot be taken by hand. The hotter the spark plugs are when they are screwed into the engine, the better.

Prevention:

When the car is started for the first time, do not immediately press on the gas pedal. Let it first "grab" in the standard starting mode.
Periodically check the function of the glow plugs.

"Summer" solar

Cause: the jelly-like state of the fuel interferes with its pumping, and the paraffin flakes formed from the cold clog the fuel system.

signs: the starter turns, but the engine does not catch. There is no fumes from the exhaust pipe.

Solutions:

Use autochemistry type "quick start" according to the instructions.
Shed hot water nozzles, fuel filter, pump high pressure, avoiding contact with the starter and alternator, and try to start again.

Prevention:

Refuel with "winter" diesel fuel and, in case of doubt or expected cooling, add anti-gel or depressant additives.
Before starting, turn on the ignition several times, warming up the candles, but do not start the engine.
Install the fuel filter heater.

Photo: www.globallookpress.com

Globally, the installation of a pre-heater can solve the problem of starting the engine in cold weather.

Often, neither the first nor the second time the car hard frost does not start, but "grabs" for an increasingly longer period. Patiently repeat the starter scrolling for no more than 10 seconds until the car starts.

Sometimes condensation in the exhaust pipe can be the reason that the car will not start. It can be removed simply by physical cleaning.

If the car has a manual transmission, then it is better to start it with the clutch depressed. In this case, only the engine crankshaft rotates, and the gears of the gearbox remain in place, which reduces the load on the starter.

Before leaving the car for a long time, dry the brake pads and do not leave the car on the "handbrake". brake pads can freeze to disks (with drum brakes the situation is even more unpredictable), and then with all the systems running, the wheels simply will not spin. In order for the car not to roll away, it is better to leave the car in gear (manual transmission) or in the parking lot (automatic transmission), and with a large slope, place stops.

On many new foreign cars, the probability of starting is associated with the level of starting enrichment of the mixture, which is determined by electronics. This is due to the fact that in Europe "winter" gasoline is used with great content light fractions. Some vehicles may require longer cranking by the starter.

Do not use remote autostart from the alarm. Electronics does not understand the problems of a cold start, so it can land the battery and fill the candles.

Diesel engines are best to start on one try and turn the starter until it starts.

After the car has started, do not turn it off for a while. No need to immediately turn on the stove, heating, music and headlights - this is an additional burden on the battery. For the first few kilometers, it is better to drive at speeds up to 40 km / h, so that the components and assemblies gradually warm up.

Not every car can pass the cold test. And not all motorists know what to do with frozen equipment and how to start a car in the cold.

Problem for Russia winter operation car is especially relevant, because most of the country is subject to severe frosts. To successfully minimize engine start time in cold weather, the machine must be properly prepared.

What to do before winter

As they say, the best treatment is prevention. Here, in our case, effective way will start quickly and without problems in winter preliminary preparation car:

Battery

The battery is the most vulnerable part of the car in cold weather. It often depends on her whether the car will start or remain “bored” in the yard. Therefore, it is worth giving the battery Special attention and lead to full functionality.

First, the service life is checked - if it exceeds 3 years, then the battery is at risk and may not be able to cope with the coming winter. There are two options: wait for the battery to “die a natural death” in a fight with the cold or replace it with a new one in advance, protecting yourself from unpleasant surprises.

The battery must have sufficient power and hold a charge well. Terminals and contacts must be cleaned to ensure complete electrical conductivity.

Starter

The starter is the second most important part of the car, responsible for starting the engine. A lot depends on him. But it is very difficult to predict in advance when its performance will end.

Usually "death" comes quickly, in one moment. But sometimes hints of an imminent breakdown appear in advance, such as sluggish torsion or extraneous sounds before launch. In this case, it is worth replacing the starter in advance, before the onset of cold weather.

Candles

Candles also need to be inspected. A half-living spark is able to start a car in the warm season, but in cold weather it will not cope. If the car regularly undergoes maintenance, then the candles are probably new and suitable for difficult conditions if not, then the owner should replace them themselves.

Oil

The oil must be fresh and suitable in composition for our temperatures. Otherwise, it will thicken, will not allow the engine to spin, and no prayer to start the car in the cold will help here.

Now most often they use medium-viscosity synthetics and, by default, fill it with TO. If there is no certainty that the car has an all-weather product, it is better to play it safe and change it before frost. Oil filters also put new ones.

Coolant

In the cooling system, it is permissible to use only antifreeze in sub-zero temperatures. Frozen water can not only prevent the car from starting, but also completely disable it.

Fuel

Fuel should be used of proven quality and filled at gas stations that inspire confidence. Foreign matter and water will complicate the operation of the machine in cold weather. As for solar oil, only applicable here winter version and only responsible oil and gas companies replace diesel fuel to the right one.

How to start a car correctly

Even if the equipment is fully prepared, it is not a fact that it will definitely start. After all, it depends not only on her, but also on the driver. Incorrect actions can not only interfere with the launch, but also provoke a breakdown of components and assemblies.

First of all, on a cold morning, you need to prepare the car for starting the engine. Understanding how to properly start a car in cold weather, the injector of which has completely cooled down, we note a couple of nuances.

The main thing that needs to be done first is to “cheer up” the battery. To do this, turn on the lights or music for a few seconds. So, the battery will start working faster.

When starting the engine, depress the clutch pedal. In this case, the load is removed from the gearbox gear, and the car can only crank the engine. The fuel pump needs to be given time to pump up gasoline, so do not rush to immediately turn the key all the way, give it a few seconds.

Turn the ignition on and listen for the engine to seize. If the car starts the first time, congratulations! In practice, it often happens that at very low temperatures the engine does not start immediately.

The basic rules for starting a car in cold weather with a frozen injector are that you should not crank the starter for more than ten seconds at a time. That is, if the car does not start during this period, you need to turn off the ignition, let it rest and only then try again.

Diesel engines, on the contrary, are advised to start with one turn of the key, without rest breaks.

When the car starts, let it warm up. You should not immediately turn on the light, music and stove - the car itself needs to “gain strength”.

It is advisable to drive the first kilometers slowly and calmly, without exacerbating the load on frozen components and assemblies.

What to do if the car won't start

Not so long ago, a video was released where the "Ural dumplings" start the car in the cold. It is worth a look, because there are a great many cases when the equipment did not start. What to do if the car did not want to work in the cold - consider the possible actions:

If the battery is not working or has died from futile attempts to start the engine, there are several options for resolving the problem. The first is to replace it with another. This method is rarely used, not everyone has a spare battery with them. You can, of course, borrow from a neighbor, the main thing is that he does not mind and the battery fits the parameters.
The second option is to take the battery home for charging or heating. It helps well, but it takes a lot of time.
The third way is lighting with wires. Very effective method but no less dangerous. In no case should the polarities be confused, otherwise you can burn the electronics of both the non-starting transport and the “donor”. In the case of an injector, it is better not to risk direct lighting, but to remove the battery and put wires on it from another car for charging. After a few minutes, you can put a slightly charged battery back in place and try to start again;
If the battery is working, but the start does not occur, then the problem may be in the starter - in this case, it needs to be replaced. Some drivers will try to start the car from the "pusher". Not a very sound decision, given the state of frost-hardened units, frosted windows and a chilled driver. But then let them decide for themselves, the main thing is to know that cars with automatic transmission cannot be started from a pusher, but injection motors can acquire backfire after these experiments.
There are other reasons why the equipment does not start: flooded candles, thickened oil, frozen exhaust pipe, incorrect ignition adjustment, bad fuel or summer diesel fuel. Here you already need to understand and carefully inspect the car for possible faults. If you can’t do it yourself, then either wait for warming and hope for a miracle, or take the car to a service.

Winter for technology is a difficult test. extreme low temperatures affect the engines, and the electronics, and running units. Proper preparation car to frost, although it is not able to protect against all weather surprises, it will increase the chances of "revive" the car with a deep minus.

Act correctly when starting the engine, and the likelihood that the car will start will increase markedly!

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The lower the temperature falls on winter days, the more problems appears among motorists, since many parts and assemblies that worked properly may be unstable. As a result, in frosts below -20 degrees, start car engine turns into a real lottery. For those who are not used to hoping for a chance, an instruction is useful that will help you start a car without problems in any frost.

Problem 1 - Battery

The main culprit for a car not starting in cold weather is the battery. If the battery is more three years, it is necessary to carefully monitor that it gives out the power necessary to start the "engine". A multimeter will help in this - a special device that checks the charge. In addition, it is necessary to ensure that dirt and rust do not accumulate on the terminals.

It is worth remembering that in winter the load on the battery is twice as much as in summer period, so the old battery may simply fail. In addition, the battery capacity drops significantly due to the energy consumption for the alarm. Therefore, before the onset winter season You should consider replacing the old battery. Such a purchase will cost 4 - 8 thousand rubles. In extreme cases, you can use the proven old-fashioned method: remove the battery and take it home.

Problem 2 - spark plugs

A similar situation in winter time develops with high voltage wires and spark plugs. When it's warm outside, they can be in in perfect order, but a significant drop in temperature entails the failure of these elements, and starting the engine becomes impossible. If the candles could not be changed to new ones before the onset of frost, then you need to keep a fresh set at home. Wires for lighting the battery from the battery of another car will also come in handy.

Problem 3 - engine oil

If the wiring is good, the battery is charged, but the car does not want to start, the engine is most likely frozen, and the engine oil has thickened in it. Best for winter synthetic oil, and the cars in which they poured mineral oil or semi-synthetics, in frosts fall into the "risk zone".

To warm up the engine, some use plastic bottles with boiling water, placing them for a short time under the hood of a car. At the same time, the hood and engine compartment covered with windproof material. Thanks to this, it is possible to warm the connecting rod and piston group and the cylinder block, which are bound due to thickened oil.

Some motorists, in order to revive the engine, use a blowtorch, or even make a fire under the crankcase. Both of these methods can be effective, but you need to remember that they are very dangerous.

How to wind up in the cold

Before you start the engine in cold weather, you need to turn off the lights, the stove, heated windows, mirrors and seats, as well as other systems that consume energy. It is impossible to “turn” the starter for too long, as this can lead to its breakdown. It is better to make several attempts, but it is important to remember that there must be a pause of at least 1 minute between them. This will reduce the burden on battery. On a car with a manual transmission, when starting the engine, you need to depress the clutch pedal. This will lighten the load on the motor.

Once the engine has started running, it must be warmed up for Idling before operating temperature. Before you start driving, you need to pay attention to control lights on the panel. If, after warming up the “engine”, the indicators of the battery charge, oil pressure or “ check engine”, it is better to leave the car in the parking lot, since there is a high probability that the car will stop in the middle of the road.

Knowing the features of a cold engine start is the responsibility of every driver living in central and northern Russia

Winter has come and the question of how to properly start a car in cold weather has become extremely relevant for our motorists. Even if you have a long driving experience, it will not be superfluous to update your knowledge, because to be left without your “ iron horse"in the midst of frost - a weak pleasure. To successfully start the engine at temperatures below -25 degrees Celsius, there are several recommendations. This is not a panacea, and if there are any obvious or implicit malfunctions in the auto systems, starting can be complicated. Use the service "" and find out possible malfunctions. And if everything is in order with the machine, then the probability of a successful launch is very high.

Important information:

If you have any problems with - please contact us for advice.

Video

There are also specific features of how to start a car in winter, depending on its configuration:

injector,
carburetor,
automatic transmission,
diesel engine, etc.

But, since the most popular cars- these are cars with automatic transmission and an injector, then they will be talked about separate conversation. But remember that excessive fanaticism in this matter can even lead to what you need. So, if the car categorically does not start, it is better to contact specialists.

The main feature of a cold start is to take your time and do everything calmly and consistently, listening to your car.

How to start an automatic car in cold weather

Let's start with how to start an automatic car in cold weather. The main difference from the manual transmission here is that the car cannot be started “from the cable”, since the automatic transmission does not leave such an opportunity. In addition, towing such a car is complicated. In sub-zero temperatures transmission oil in the automatic transmission it thickens and it is highly undesirable to tow a “frozen” car into a box or service. Hence the first recommendation: do not overdo it. The main cold start problem is insufficient battery charge. If you feel that there is not enough charge and the starter turns sluggishly, then do not torment it. Use a simple and proven method: "lighting up" from the battery of another car using a special set of wires.

Lighting up a car is easy: connect the red wire to the positive terminals of the car, and the black wire to the negative terminals, then wait a couple of minutes and try to start

Many do not know how to start a car with an automatic transmission in cold weather and begin to use the same tricks as in a car with a manual transmission, for example, depress the clutch pedal. This is not at all necessary. If the selector is in the “P” or “N” positions, the automatic transmission does not participate in the launch in any way. By the way, if after several attempts, even with a working battery, the starter turns fine, but the car “does not catch”, then the candles are most likely flooded. They must be removed and calcined or changed.