On cold winter mornings, rushing to send kids to school then heading to work… it’s embarrassing when your car fails to start.

The battery supplies ignition power and is highly sensitive. Most starting failures are battery-related. Winter is a tough season for batteries, so proper maintenance is essential.

Low temperatures reduce ion activity inside batteries, weakening charging acceptance and discharge performance, causing starting difficulty and slow charging. Follow these maintenance tips:

1. Check if battery replacement is needed

Replace batteries older than 3 years before winter. Visit 4S stores or professional workshops for testing with dedicated battery analyzers. Replace frozen batteries immediately in cold regions.

2. Keep battery surface clean

Dust and oxides accumulate on terminals over time. Clean with hot water on terminals, wipe the casing, and apply grease to prevent corrosion. Cleanliness avoids leakage and preserves starting performance.

3. Turn off multimedia, heater and lights before shutting down

Lights and entertainment devices will activate automatically on restart, increasing instant load and worsening cold-start issues. Use professional chargers to replenish power timely.

4. Avoid frequent cranking

Each crank should last under 3 seconds. Wait 15 seconds before retrying. Frequent heavy current discharge accelerates aging.

5. Do not drain battery power while parked

Listening to radios or keeping lights on with engine off severely weakens batteries in winter.

6. Choose proper parking location

Garages and indoor parking keep batteries warmer and prevent low-temperature damage.