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Here's how you can 'winterize your car' to avoid a dead battery

"During the winter months, batteries are one of the top reasons we see roadside emergencies."

It’s something you don’t want to hear; that painful clicking sound of your car battery not starting.

And with many people using their cars less because of the pandemic, and the temperatures dropping, your vehicle could be more prone to a dead battery.

"During the winter months, batteries are one of the top reasons we see roadside emergencies," said AAA Texas' Daniel Armbruster.

He told us how, "Extreme cold temperatures can really impact the performance of the battery, and it can take away about a third of the power of the battery when we see colder temperatures near freezing."

So, AAA has a checklist on their website to so-called "Winterize" your car. Some of those points include:

  • Have your battery inspected after at least three years of use
  • Manually check your tire pressure at least once a month
  • Make sure your wipers clear the glass every swipe
  • Monitor your lights, replacing any burnt out bulbs if needed
  • Have an emergency road kit with things like water, first aid, blankets and jumper cables

And going back to that horrible sound of the battery not starting, AAA says, if you do have jumper cables, and another driver is willing to assist you, you want to make sure it’s done properly.

So, we spoke to North Park Lexus of San Antonio's Master Technician Henry Giles who walked us through the steps.

"Whenever you go to jump start your vehicle, you always start off with the positive on the positive terminal then the negative to the negative terminal," said Giles.

And on the other vehicle, he told us it’s the same thing -- on the car with the good battery, attach the positive red cable, then the negative black cable. Let the cars sit for a few minutes while charging, then start the vehicle with the bad battery. 

But even if it turns on, you’re not done.

"Once you get it started, you really should take it some place and have the battery and the charging system checked. The last thing you want to do is be out in the middle of nowhere and it leaves you stranded," said Giles.

For the full "Winterizing" checklist, click here. And for more information about battery safety, visit AAA or North Park's website.

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