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Can Cold Weather Really Drain Your Battery?

My dad is a mechanic, and when you grow up with a person who works on cars, you learn a thing or two and try to take extra good care of your vehicles. For instance, when it's freezing outside I never let my gas tank go below 1/2 a tank, I get my oil changed regularly, I never leave the house without jumper cables in my car, and I always have a flat tire repair kit, and a spare with me.  I also know that the wintertime can be hard on your battery, and is a time you should really have your battery tested fairly regularly to make sure it's in good working order.

According to CaseysAutomotive.com:

At around 32 degrees, the battery will lose approximately 35% of its strength.

Given the need to produce maximum amperage, a battery must work harder to start in the winter months since the engine is so cold. That extra demand on an already weakened battery can cause it to lose its efficiency. Effectively, it shortens the battery’s life.

 

However, it seems there are a few people in Evansville that didn't get the whole, checking your battery in the wintertime memo.

Evansville Thieves Make a Big Oops

While I personally do not condone stealing, I'd imagine if you're wanting to make a quick getaway you should make sure your car is in proper working order. Unfortunately, a few people in Evansville didn't take that extra step and got stranded in the mall parking lot.

Here is the post from EvansvilleWatch about this whoopsie daisy:

Theft In Progress- 800 N Green River Rd, JCPenneys. Caller states that 3 subjects just stole carts full of items. Subjects are currently in the west parking lot trying to leave but their car won't start. EPD arriving.

*insert facepalm here*

You can read more on this story from WEVV here. Let this serve as a lesson, what goes around may in fact come around, and you should regularly check your car battery.