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Winter time is coming

You may have noticed the cold, crisp mornings of winter are starting to present themselves. Your vehicle may have noticed it too. If you have a weak link in the charging and starting system of your vehicle, it is likely to show up at this time of year when the weather conditions start getting colder.

A vehicle’s charging and starting system is comprised of a starter with a starter solenoid, an alternator and the battery. The starter motor cranks the engine, when engaged with the flywheel. The starter solenoid uses electromagnetic force to power the starter motor and flywheel. The alternator provides power to the vehicle electrical system and charges the battery while the engine is running. Then the battery supplies the energy needed to start the engine and provides current to operate accessories. When the vehicle is not running the battery protects the powertrain control module (PCM or computer) from power surges.

Some of the symptoms of a charging and starting system that is failing can be: a little harder or longer to start when cold (like mornings), the charging gauge not at 14 volts, battery light on, headlights going dim, vehicle clock that keeps resetting itself, an intermittent no start problem. These various symptoms can occur when you have either a bad battery, an alternator that is failing or a starter that is drawing to much power or failing. Also, if your battery is in good condition and still holds a charge, but there is a lot of corrosion on the battery terminals or cables it can cause a faulty connection that can cause all types of symptoms.

If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms we recommend having your charging system tested. Even if your not experiencing symptoms it is a good idea to have your vehicle tested about every 6 months. Battery acid is very corrosive and if it remains on the battery posts, terminals and cables it will eventually eat away at the metal. So we recommend keeping your battery, terminals, cables and connections free from corrosion, they can be serviced regularly. There are also batteries on the market that are sealed cell batteries that do not tend to leak so that you can avoid corrosion all together. Also its important to equip your car with the right winter tires.

Have a great month and be carefull driving and take care of the charging and starting system of your vehicle, before it leaves you stranded.

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