# If car does not start when really cold is it motor or battery

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/if-car-does-not-start-when-really-cold-is-it-motor-or-battery/199230>\
**Category:** General Discussion\
**Created:** [February 20, 2025, 7:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/if-car-does-not-start-when-really-cold-is-it-motor-or-battery/199230 "2025-02-20T19:40:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2025, 9:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/if-car-does-not-start-when-really-cold-is-it-motor-or-battery/199230/21 "2025-02-24T21:44:35Z")

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> [@johnlump\_191311](#):
>
> Wouldn’t an engine oil heater be easier?

Sure - if you didn’t live in an apartment where there’s no easy access to an outlet. This was also in the early 70’s.

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**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 3:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/if-car-does-not-start-when-really-cold-is-it-motor-or-battery/199230/22 "2025-02-25T03:18:20Z")

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Word was the oil heaters fry the oil. Inline coolant heaters were maybe 1400 watt, the frost plug ones look like 400 watt.

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**Author:** ![johnlump\_191311](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/47e85d/32.png) [@johnlump\_191311](https://community.cartalk.com/u/johnlump_191311)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 3:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/if-car-does-not-start-when-really-cold-is-it-motor-or-battery/199230/23 "2025-02-25T15:56:06Z")

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True. I hadn’t thought of that.

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