Battery question
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Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Massachusetts
'98 clk 320
Battery question
My gf's clk was fine on Monday. Tuesday night it was very cold(10 degrees),when she tried to start the car,nothing.No lights,radio,even the key fob was out.Can one night of cold kill a battery?
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Joined: May 2003
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From: LI, NY
02 W163, 84 W123, 03 E39, 98 E39
Yes and No
First of all it takes a lot more energy to start a cold car at 10F than at 60F, even assuming you have a very light weight synthetic oil like a 0W-40. In addition, a battery has less power when cold than when warm. A battey at the end of it's life dosn't have much reserve to begin with, coupled with the fact that when a battey is old the acid in the battery dosn't regenerate well and you may have mostly water in your battey cells that actually freezes at 10F and yes your GF's battery may be shot and the car may not start.
But before you run out and spend $60-$100 on a new battery try cleaning the battery contacts first. This could possibly be the problem, and if it isn't you haven't invested much time or any money to rule this easy to miss problem out.
Good luck.
<sph17>
But before you run out and spend $60-$100 on a new battery try cleaning the battery contacts first. This could possibly be the problem, and if it isn't you haven't invested much time or any money to rule this easy to miss problem out.
Good luck.
<sph17>
Thread Starter
Almost a Member!
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: Massachusetts
'98 clk 320
Re: Yes and No
Originally posted by sph17
First of all it takes a lot more energy to start a cold car at 10F than at 60F, even assuming you have a very light weight synthetic oil like a 0W-40. In addition, a battery has less power when cold than when warm. A battey at the end of it's life dosn't have much reserve to begin with, coupled with the fact that when a battey is old the acid in the battery dosn't regenerate well and you may have mostly water in your battey cells that actually freezes at 10F and yes your GF's battery may be shot and the car may not start.
But before you run out and spend $60-$100 on a new battery try cleaning the battery contacts first. This could possibly be the problem, and if it isn't you haven't invested much time or any money to rule this easy to miss problem out.
Good luck.
<sph17>
First of all it takes a lot more energy to start a cold car at 10F than at 60F, even assuming you have a very light weight synthetic oil like a 0W-40. In addition, a battery has less power when cold than when warm. A battey at the end of it's life dosn't have much reserve to begin with, coupled with the fact that when a battey is old the acid in the battery dosn't regenerate well and you may have mostly water in your battey cells that actually freezes at 10F and yes your GF's battery may be shot and the car may not start.
But before you run out and spend $60-$100 on a new battery try cleaning the battery contacts first. This could possibly be the problem, and if it isn't you haven't invested much time or any money to rule this easy to miss problem out.
Good luck.
<sph17>
I'll check it out,thx sph..
