Celsius to Fahrenheit conversion table

So in places that get that cold, most cars have block heaters and start just fine when -40 or -50. But at -50F it will probably be pretty tough to start your car without a block heater. I would guess -60F is near the limit. I grew up in Montana and had to start my car in -35F temps.

Most cars can handle a lot of bad weather, but the engine oil, fuel, and battery can’t. Most cars are still able to start well under freezing temperatures, which start at 32-degrees Fahrenheit.

General Rule. Owners should start their car daily in zero-degree temperatures. Auto mechanics may advise starting a vehicle once a week to ensure continued battery life, but this is under the best circumstances.

How often should I start my car and let it idle in cold weather? Answer: Don’t. Experts at AAA, a federation of motor clubs, say it’s not a good idea to warm your car up to keep it from freezing. Drivers should start their engine and allow it to idle only for the time it takes you to fasten your seat belt.

Like many misconceptions, the idea behind winter car idling begins with a kernel of truth. Cars do get worse fuel economy when it’s really cold out — they are at least 12 percent less fuel efficient, according to Environmental Protection Agency and Energy Department.

Tricks for Keeping Your Car Battery Charged in Cold Temperatures

1. Park your car in the garage, away from the wind.
2. Pause before turning on accessories.
3. Juice it up!
4. Keep your battery free of dirt and debris.
5. Get your battery checked before winter hits.

Drain #3: Freezing Temperatures Cold weather slows everything down, especially the chemical reaction happening inside your car battery. In fact, at 32°F, a car’s battery loses about 35% of its strength. And at 0°F, it loses up to 60% of its strength—but your engine requires nearly twice as much power to start!

Although trickle chargers can fight off a freezing battery, decline can still occur in cold weather. Avoid being stranded this winter with charged batteries that last well into spring.

Cold batteries discharge faster than hot batteries. Most batteries can be damaged by excessive temperature and may ignite or explode if it’s too hot. Refrigerating charged batteries may help them hold their charge, but it’s best to use the batteries near room temperature to ensure they last as long as possible.

Your iPhone or Android phone isn’t designed for freezing cold temperatures under 32 degrees. That means your phone might shut down or lose its charge quickly if you use it outside, even for a few minutes.

The recommended storage temperature for most batteries is 15°C (59°F); the extreme allowable temperature is –40°C to 50°C (–40°C to 122°F) for most chemistries. Batteries should be stored in a dry and cool place, but should avoid freezing. Batteries freeze more easily if in a discharged state.

A fully charged battery can resist incredibly cold temperatures. (The thermometer has to read -80 F to freeze a fully charged battery.) But that strength disappears if your battery wears down enough. If your battery is only half-charged, it could turn to a block of ice at -10 F overnight.

Lithium batteries rely on chemical reactions to work, and the cold can slow and even stop those reactions from occurring. Unfortunately, charging them in low temperatures is not as effective as doing so under normal weather conditions because the ions that provide the charge do not move properly in the cold weather.

Well, lithium batteries suffer from a phenomenon of lithium metal plating on the anode if charged at high rates in cold temperatures. This could cause an internal short of the battery and a failure.