cold weather quirks....

[badtlc]

Yesterday, my mazda3 sat out in the cold all day and I had to start it while temps were about 7F. Some things that were different:
- Clutch felt a bit...um...sticky? It never stuck in one place but it felt like it was moving through molasses instead of freely. It only lasted the first couple of shifts.
- The HVAC blower fan speed was going up and down at low speeds and idle. The engine RPMs remained constant during these speed changes and the compressor was not running.

The normal things that seem different at low temps (engine oil flow/sound and MTF) were all smooth and quiet at startup like normal.

Anyone else have odd quirks when starting a very cold car?

 

[wander2039]

Nothing out of the usual on the Focus or Escape but since I was forced to drive the RV this morning different story. The power steering made a loud noise on startup and despite what the knob was set to air only came out of the defrost even then just barely. Guess it's a good thing don't drive it in the cold often!

 

[Chris142]

The back window of my jeep squeaks in the cold. My f250 becomes a starting nightmare!

 

[ARCOgraphite]

This morning my new rogue sounded like a cement mixer for 10 mins. Also the cvt will run the engine at a higher rpm to facilitate warm up. Not really happy abut running 2500-3000 rpm on a stone cold engine at 25 mph with honey-thick oil.

 

[badtlc]

Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
This morning my new rogue sounded like a cement mixer for 10 mins. Also the cvt will run the engine at a higher rpm to facilitate warm up. Not really happy abut running 2500-3000 rpm on a stone cold engine at 25 mph with honey-thick oil.


I sort of do that with mine. When it is cold, I'll keep my RPMs at 2-2.2k until my cold water temp light goes off.

 

[bubbatime]

Got down to 40 here. Car starts and runs fine.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

My Focus' steering is extremely heavy when it is cold. The steering on my Jeep is extremely light when it is cold.

The Focus' transmission howls for a few seconds when I let the clutch out - until the gear oil starts circulating.

The 85w-140 gear oil is so thick in the rear differential on the jeep that it won't creep.

Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
This morning my new rogue sounded like a cement mixer for 10 mins. Also the cvt will run the engine at a higher rpm to facilitate warm up. Not really happy abut running 2500-3000 rpm on a stone cold engine at 25 mph with honey-thick oil.


The 2012 Sentra I had as a rental sounded like that when cold. I'm not sure if it was because they had super heavy oil in it or what. My Focus likes to idle around 2000 when cold, stopped and 2500 when the clutch is pressed or coasting, cold. Good thing for 20 grade oils.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Cold weather (and wet) usually exposes the worst behavior of any older higher mileage auto.

29 here this AM, but only for an hour or so.

Most newer cars are unfazed...

 

[IndyIan]

I find everything is pretty normal until -15C/5F, below that the starter does start to work a bit harder and there is bit more start up noise and I'll let it idle a bit longer before going.

 

[Lapham3]

Extremes in temps are when cars are stressed the most and more likely to break-just check with the service businesses. In 4 season climates spring and fall they are often begging for customers

 

[zzyzzx]

It sometimes takes a little longer to start the car when it's this cold and the car has been sitting all night.

 

[Mykl]

My GTI usually feels as solid as a bank vault, no squeaks or rattles, everything nice and tight.

But if you let it sit out in sub freezing temperature it makes all kinds of fun noises as you drive down the road.

 

[xxch4osxx]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
I find everything is pretty normal until -15C/5F, below that the starter does start to work a bit harder and there is bit more start up noise and I'll let it idle a bit longer before going.
I agree with this. When it is below -25, the weird noises are even more pronounced.

 

[Silverado12]

My Silverado doesn't get good mileage when it's this cold. Maybe 16 on a good day. It started right up, though, but it should. It's only 3 years old.

 

[John_Conrad]

only thing i have noticed on my vehicle is that it takes a second turn of the key to get it fired...i am glad on days like these(hovering around 0 degrees) that I am using 5w-20. my daily driver is a 1997 oldsmobile 88 with the v6 3.8 liter. i have close to 315,000 miles on it and i change the transmission fluid and filter annually as I can put well over 25 or 30k miles a year on it. I also do partial power steering fluid changes every other year or so as well as the brake fluid so that everthing stays clean and flows nicely.

this year i am trying MOS2 in my oil(Pennzoil High Mileage5w-20) and although it is supposed to increase the viscosity ever so slightly, i have had no problems firing up the old boy.-keeping my fingers crossed as I think tonight is going to be our coldest night since we got this cold blast this week.

 

[earlyre]

I've noticed my sable has a squeak from the steering wheel, near full lock in either direction when temps get below 0F...(-7F this morning when I left for work @ 6a)

 

[splinter]

Well it's harder for me to get up and running.

 

[Cristobal]

My car's belts make funny noises when I turn the steering wheel if it is less than 40 degrees F.

 

[wymi516]

Couple of strange noises but they go away quickly. One thing I've learned is to not just put the key in and crank it right up. I turn the key on then wait for at least one or two dash lights to turn off. All our cars seem to start better in the cold when doing that.

 

[4wheeldog]

I have noticed the clutch thing on my manual vehicles with hydraulic clutch actuation. Flushing/bleeding the fluid helped a lot. I think it is due to moisture contamination of the fluid, which makes the seals stick a bit to the cylinder.