ORLANDO, Fla. — The cold weather can cause car issues if you’re not prepared. We talked to drivers and mechanics about what’s happening.
As drivers deal with engine issues during the cold weather, Sports and Imports owner Jivi Khehar says he’s been busy trying to help. “The biggest problem I see is tire pressure lights come on. As soon as it gets colder, tire pressure goes down by two or three pounds and the lights come on.” Driver Gordon Brown says, “The weather deflates them and I have to keep putting air in them.”
Jivi tells us the big chill can also cause batteries to die. “Because the chemical reaction in the battery slows down as the temperature goes down, and if your battery is borderline to start with, you might not be able to crank the car like it normally does.” Jivi reminds drivers to use antifreeze, something he says people often forget to do in Florida. “Stops the water from freezing in the engine and doing damage. You can crack the block and break the radiators.” There’s also fuel antifreeze for the gas tank.
And if you have an electric car, the owner at Central Florida Hybrid, Juan Carlo Rangel, says cold weather uses more battery power, so make sure to charge up before heading out. “Our recommendation is to plug the car in at nighttime on low charge.”
Driver Candy Aponte was busy charging her EV. She says, “When it gets really cold, it’s a little tough.” Even Jivi can’t escape the frigid freeze working on cars. “You see me all bundled up. I got six layers on, gloves, beanies, two pair of socks. Yeah, it’s no fun.”
If your tire pressure light goes off because the weather warms up, make sure to still inflate your tires, or you may have issues later on.
Jivi says as long as you bring your vehicle in for annual maintenance, you should be in good shape when the temperatures drop.
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