Car Won’t Start in Cold Utah Weather? Here’s What’s Usually Wrong

If your car won’t start on a cold Utah morning, you’re not alone. Every winter, we see a surge of no-start issues from drivers across Orem and Utah County — often from vehicles that were running “just fine” the day before.

Cold temperatures are tough on vehicles, especially when certain components are already worn. The good news? In most cases, the cause is often common, predictable, and preventable.

Here’s what’s usually behind cold-weather starting problems — and what to do next.

Why Cold Weather Makes Starting Problems Worse

Cold temperatures slow down chemical reactions and thicken fluids. That means:

• Batteries produce less power

• Engines require more effort to turn over

• Weak components finally fail

  
  

In Utah winters, it’s often not one problem, it is often a combination of problems and variables that push a weak part past its limit.

The Most Common Reasons Cars Won’t Start in Cold Utah Weather

1. Weak or Failing Battery (By Far the Most Common)

Cold weather dramatically reduces a battery’s output. A battery that’s already aging may still work in summer — but fail instantly in winter.

What we commonly see:

• Slow cranking or clicking

• Dashboard lights flicker or don’t turn on

• Sometimes the radio and other electric components work, but it still doesn’t start

• Car was fine the day before

  
  

Many batteries fail before their advertised lifespan when exposed to repeated cold starts.

2. Starter Motor Struggling in the Cold

Starters require significantly more power in cold weather. If a starter motor is worn internally, it may not have enough torque to turn the engine over when temperatures drop.

Common symptoms:

• Single click when turning the key

• Starter spins but engine doesn’t crank

• Intermittent starting issues

  
  

This can often show up on cold mornings.

3. Thick Engine Oil or Overdue Oil Change

Cold temperatures thicken engine oil. If the oil is old, contaminated, or the wrong viscosity, it can make the engine much harder to crank.

This is especially common when:

• Oil change intervals are stretched

• The wrong oil weight was used

• The vehicle sits overnight outdoors in extreme cold

4. Electrical Connections and Grounds

Cold temperatures cause different metals to contract at different rates. Corroded or loose battery terminals and ground connections can suddenly lose contact.

We frequently find:

• Corrosion hidden under battery terminals (in the above picture, someone cleaned the outside of the battery cable end, but did not clean it properly by removing it and cleaning the connection between the battery cable end and the battery terminal, you can see the green corrosion ring causing a bad connection)

• Loose connections due to improperly installed battery cables

• Corrosion so bad it has deteriorated the cable or cable end to the point of needing replacement

Is There Anything I Can Do to Get the Car to Start?

Here are a few things you can try to get your car started on a cold Utah morning.  Or if you prefer, you can stay inside sipping some hot chocolate while you watch the tow truck load up your car and take it to the best shop in Utah County, Sav-Mor Auto Clinic, having full confidence they will take care of you. ;)

But, if you prefer being cold and you hate sipping hot chocolate, here are some things you can safely try:

• Jump start the car (using a portable jumper box, or jumper cables and another car). One note about this: we often see a vehicle towed in because the customer was not able to jump start it, but we are able to.  Most of the time this is because they didn’t make sure the jumper cables had a good connection, so make sure to wiggle the clamps and confirm they have a good tight connection on the battery.

• Grab the battery cables and see if you can twist them, if so, try to tighten them up. Sometimes you will need to loosen them first, then make sure they are fully seated on the battery, then tighten them up.

• If you see a lot of corrosion, you can remove the battery cable end and using a baking soda/water mix and a small stiff brush (or a tooth brush if that is all you have), clean the connections as best you can then reattach and attempt to start again.

  
  

If the car still doesn’t start after several attempts, it’s better to stop and have it properly diagnosed. (and admit that sipping hot chocolate is better than swearing at your car out in the cold)

How We Diagnose Cold-Weather No-Start Issues

At Sav-Mor Auto Clinic, we don’t guess — we test.

Our process typically includes:

• Battery load testing (not just voltage)

• Starter current draw testing

• Alternator amperage and voltage output

• Visual inspection of terminals and grounds

• Verifying computer controls of the charging system

  
  

This approach lets us pinpoint the actual failure instead of replacing parts blindly.

How to Reduce Cold-Weather Starting Problems

A few simple steps can make a big difference:

• Replace batteries proactively before winter

• Keep up with oil changes using the correct oil

• Address slow cranking early

• Park in a garage when possible

• Have your vehicle inspected before extreme cold hits

  
  

Preventive maintenance is almost always cheaper than emergency repairs.

Need Help Diagnosing a No-Start Issue?

If you’re dealing with a car that won’t start on cold mornings, we’re happy to take a look and give you clear answers — not pressure.

📍 Serving Orem and Utah County

 📞 Call Sav-Mor Auto Clinic to schedule an inspection at 801-224-2221