# Starting the Car in cold weather **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** weather, spectra, kia\ **Created:** [February 1, 2011, 9:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starting-the-car-in-cold-weather/60776 "2011-02-01T21:03:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![philigan\_85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/cdc98d/32.png) [@philigan\_85](https://community.cartalk.com/u/philigan_85)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 9:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starting-the-car-in-cold-weather/60776/1 "2011-02-01T21:03:30Z")
Hello all. I am currently driving a 2004 Kia Spectra as a rental car and living up in the mountains in Colorado. Last night we had temperatures below 0 and this morning I could not get my Car started. I try to get it started and at first it starts to turn yet fails to make it and than it clicked and stopped trying. I believe that the battery is fairly new since the car only has about 70 thousand miles on it. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![UncleTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@UncleTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UncleTurbo)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 9:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starting-the-car-in-cold-weather/60776/2 "2011-02-01T21:06:23Z")
Get a jump start and/or call the rental agency. The battery could be bad if the car is an '04. Be sure you haven’t left any interior lights on at night that is draining the battery. ---
**Author:** ![DfromSD](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dfromsd/32/1669_2.png) [@DfromSD](https://community.cartalk.com/u/DfromSD)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 9:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starting-the-car-in-cold-weather/60776/3 "2011-02-01T21:13:03Z")
I agree, sounds like the battery is dead. It’s 7 years old, if it’s the original battery it’s way past it’s prime. ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 9:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starting-the-car-in-cold-weather/60776/4 "2011-02-01T21:45:21Z")
What you describe are classic symptoms of a very weak battery. I think you should contact the rental company and get them to install a new battery. The charging system should also be checked. A fully-charged battery in good condition should have no trouble starting the engine in below zero temperatures. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 9:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starting-the-car-in-cold-weather/60776/5 "2011-02-01T21:51:12Z")
Sounds like a battery to me also. It’s 7 years old…It could be due. Depends on where the car lived and how well it was maintained. ---
**Author:** ![Honda-Blackbird](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/honda-blackbird/32/3159_2.png) [@Honda-Blackbird](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Honda-Blackbird)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 10:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starting-the-car-in-cold-weather/60776/6 "2011-02-01T22:17:04Z")
Yes it CAN be your battery. HOWEVER…if your battery terinals are dirty or corroded then even a new battery stands little to no chance of surviving in those temps because it is not being properly charged by the alternator. Check the condition of your batt terminals FIRST. If they are clean then your Batt is def due for replacement it getting on in age…in fact if its te orig its past its prime for sure…BUT VERYONE OVERLOOKS THE TERMINALS…Give the batt a chance…it has NONE with corroded terminals. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 11:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starting-the-car-in-cold-weather/60776/7 "2011-02-01T23:09:50Z")
It’s going to be much colder tonight…