Here’s What To Do If Your Car Won’t Start In The Cold, Or Gets Stuck In The Snow

The Weather Channel has officially named the amalgamation of arctic cold conditions and blinding snowstorms that have crippled a huge swath of the U.S. “Uri.” He or she has wreaked havoc with record snowfall in Texas and will continue to spread snow and damaging ice from the South into parts of the Midwest and Northeast. Those living in Minnesota or upstate New York may be old hands at coping with the worst Old Man Winter can dish out, but much of the nation that’s getting hit with Uri’s wrath are not as accustomed to dealing with it, particularly with regard to their vehicles.

Here’s how to cope with the elements if you absolutely must take to the road in snowy and icy conditions:

First off, if it’s severely cold and you haven’t gotten a new battery in a few years, your car may not start. You can always call a tow truck, but you may have to wait for hours until an overburdened driver can come to the rescue. Jump-starting the car may be a more effective solution, assuming you have a set of jumper cables and a willing participant with a car that’s already running. Just be sure to dress warmly, and that means wearing a hat and gloves. 

Park the running car as closely to the one with the dead battery as possible, preferably head-to-head, and switch off the ignition. (If it’s garaged you may have to push the car with the dead battery out and into position.) The battery usually resides under a removable plastic cover and is located to one side of the engine; on some cars you may have to remove this cover to get at the terminals, while other models may have specific jump-starting points–check your vehicle’s owner’s manual for specifics. Connect the positive (“+”) jumper cable to the positive terminal on the good battery and then the positive terminal on the dead battery, followed by the negative (“=”) connections.

Have the running car’s driver start the engine, and run it for 1-2 minutes while revving to higher rpm. Attempt to start the car with the dead battery; if you get no response at first go back and ensure the cables are firmly attached to the terminals. If the car doesn’t start after several tries, you’ll have no recourse other than to call for service.

Assuming your vehicle’s engine turns over, take particular caution once you hit the road. Turn on the car’s headlamps and take it easy on the accelerator – even if your vehicle is equipped with all- or four-wheel-drive. Driving all four wheels might make a vehicle go faster on wet pavement, but even the beefiest 4X4 trucks can spin out of control on a patch of ice or through a slick curve if it’s moving too quickly. Leave extra room between you and the traffic ahead – your car’s brakes won’t work as well as they would on dry asphalt. Keep an eye out for frozen patches, especially on bridges and overpasses which tend to freeze sooner than paved roads.

Avoid using the vehicle’s cruise control to keep reaction times to a minimum. Accelerate smoothly when climbing hills to avoid spinning the wheels and maintain your car’s momentum without stopping; reduce speed and drive as slowly down hill as possible. If you do hit a slippery spot and the vehicle begins to skid, stay calm and steer in the direction you want to go, maintaining a light and steady foot on the accelerator. Slamming on the brakes is usually counter-productive when a car or truck is sliding sideways. 

If you’re coming to a stop in straight line and feel the brake pedal pulsating or chattering (and/or the “ABS” light is flashing on the instrument panel), this means the antilock function is activated. Do not let up on the brakes should this occur – maintain a firm foot on the pedal until the vehicle comes to a stop. And if the stability control warning light flashes on the dashboard, meaning the system is engaging to help counter wheel spin, interpret it as a signal to slow down.

Should your vehicle become stuck in the snow, avoid spinning the tires, as you’ll only be digging yourself into a deeper rut. If you’re driving a four-wheel-drive SUV or pickup, engage the low-range gearing to help crawl out of a snow bank, though it may be of less value if all four wheels are sitting on icy patches. Be sure to disengage it once you get the vehicle up to speed to avoid damaging the system. Otherwise, disengage the car’s traction control – which tends to work against your efforts when there’s zero traction – and gradually “rock” the vehicle back and forth to get it unstuck. Shift into the lowest gear (second gear if it’s a manual transmission) and slowly creep ahead as far as possible – perhaps only an inch or two at a time – then engage the brakes, put the car into reverse and repeat the process back and forth several times to gradually get unstuck. 

If rocking the vehicle out of the snow doesn’t work, throw several handfuls of sand or cat litter if you have it on hand to achieve just enough grip to get going(Experts suggest carrying some as part of winter-travel emergency kit). Otherwise wedge cardboard sheets or the car’s floor mats under the tires to help them catch; if there’s nothing else handy, try using tree branches or other organic debris. If you can’t get the vehicle free after several minutes, call a tow truck to avoid causing damage to your car’s transmission and other components.

If you’re driving in a more-remote area and roads become too slick or visibility is severely compromised, FEMA recommends pulling off the road when it’s safe to do so, turning on the car’s hazard lights and hanging something as a distress flag from the antenna. If there’s a safe haven in the immediate area in which you can take shelter, head for it. If not, stay in the car and either wait for a break in the weather or for help to arrive. Call for assistance and switch on an inside light so rescuers or workers can see you. 

If you’re forced to remain in the car for an extended period, run the engine and heater for only about 10 minutes each hour to preserve fuel while keeping warm. Be sure to open a downwind window slightly for ventilation and periodically clear snow from the exhaust pipe to prevent possible carbon monoxide poisoning.

Hope that all helped salve that bout of seasonal affective disorder you’re likely suffering. Stay safe.