For those in the Midwest... RE the recent deep freeze

[14Accent]

What issue does your vehicle exhibit while trying to endure the (relatively) extreme cold we've seen up in our neck of the woods? For reference, I'm in MN in the Twin Cities area.

While I have to cut the old girl some slack at 240k, my Jeep has developed an annoying habit of spewing power steering fluid from the pump shaft seal when cold along with the radio refusing to power up at anything sub-zero. The radio issue is easy, it was $20 on Amazon. I never expected it to be trouble-free. The power steering, I have to assume it's just old seals + shrinkage. Lets face it, starting a car in -10 to -15 degrees ambient isn't easy regardless of age.

That being said, other than those minor niggles I haven't had a single issue thus far. The heat roasts, the behind warmers keep me toasty warm, and I've not had a single component failure which would render the truck inoperable. Not to shabby for a 20 year old machine!

 

[2010Civic]

Also in the twin cities. Not much besides slow cranking, some power steering whine and rough first couple of shifts in the auto.

 

[RazorsEdge]

No issues with the cold. Tonight it will be -22 degrees below zero.

Vehicle is a 2015 Ecoboost Escape

 

[Hall]

That's funny you mention the radio not turning on. I've had that happen but only a couple of times. I actually think it's just the screen that doesn't turn on but does after a few minutes when it warms up. The power steering leak is no doubt the o-ring on the shaft shrinking from the cold. I'd think a new o-ring would perform better. Is it easy to change ?

Slightly related, but I told my wife the other day that heated seats really, really spoil you. My car and her car both have them but I had been driving our daughter's car as she's away at college. It's a '12 Civic with cloth, non-heated seats. I told my wife it seems like it takes me halfway home before it feels warm in that car and this is with the heat on the hottest setting and the fan on almost full blast. In my car, I never turn my fan up more than "2-3" (it's push-button with maybe 8 positions or speeds).

 

[14Accent]

That's funny you mention the radio not turning on. I've had that happen but only a couple of times. I actually think it's just the screen that doesn't turn on but does after a few minutes when it warms up. The power steering leak is no doubt the o-ring on the shaft shrinking from the cold. I'd think a new o-ring would perform better. Is it easy to change ?

Slightly related, but I told my wife the other day that heated seats really, really spoil you. My car and her car both have them but I had been driving our daughter's car as she's away at college. It's a '12 Civic with cloth, non-heated seats. I told my wife it seems like it takes me halfway home before it feels warm in that car and this is with the heat on the hottest setting and the fan on almost full blast. In my car, I never turn my fan up more than "2-3" (it's push-button with maybe 8 positions or speeds).

That's funny, I feel the same way about heated seats. My Volt has heated cloth, the Jeep heated leather. In the Jeep, I just leave the climate control set to 70 degrees, bi-level, low auto fan. With the seat set to low, I've never once felt cold once it's up to temp.

As for the radio, I wish it was just the LCD acting up. Mine literally is DOA on a freezing cold start and will stay that way until I pull the fuse for 5 seconds to reset. Of course, that means I have to then reset the clock, eq, fader, etc.

 

[volk06]

Not any issues with the edge or fusion 2.0L ecoboo$t. The fusion did whine for a minute at -17f the other morning but that’s been it.

E0 and keeping the tank full helps in these temps.

 

[duck__dodgers]

This is when the difference between 0W and 5W starts showing.....particularly if the starter and/or battery are getting on the older side.

 

[RamFan]

The infotainment system in the Mazda takes a while to load and likes to reset at temps under 20*, aside from that, nothing different.

 

[fisher83]

No issues here in Omaha with the Camry other than sounding a little cranky for a few seconds on those sub-zero days. Then again, those noises may have just been me grumbling about having to go out in the cold!

 

[Wrenchturner44]

Many newer model cars are now equipped with electric assisted power steering.

In my experience frigid cold can do a lot of damage to power hydraulic rack and pinion power steering systems. Not only are the low temps hard on the pump seals as previously mentioned but also on the rack seals. I always make it a practice myself, and to tell others as well to never turn the steering wheel lock to lock in an abrubt or hard manner until the fluid is thoroughly warmed up and circulating well.

Cars that seemed to have premature rack seal failures have seen abuse in cold weather environments IMHO.

 

[Skippy722]

Not so much of an issue, just an observation. The monochrome LCD’s (little dash display, radio) refresh rate in my Ram is laughably slow. I like to switch it and watch it slowly transition lol

 

[Jordan_FX4]

Not as cold down here in IL, but the single digit temps about a week ago finally did in the factory battery on my 2013 F-150. Fortunately my truck started but it was extremely slow to turn over. I drove to Farm & Home bought a new battery, came back out and my truck wouldn’t start again so it got changed in the parking lot. Other than that nothing abnormal.

 

[billt460]

Many newer model cars are now equipped with electric assisted power steering.

In my experience frigid cold can do a lot of damage to power hydraulic rack and pinion power steering systems. Not only are the low temps hard on the pump seals as previously mentioned but also on the rack seals. I always make it a practice myself, and to tell others as well to never turn the steering wheel lock to lock in an abrubt or hard manner until the fluid is thoroughly warmed up and circulating well.

Cars that seemed to have premature rack seal failures have seen abuse in cold weather environments IMHO.

I share much the same opinion. And there is only so much you can do about any of it. Extreme cold is HARD on everything on a car. I lived in Chicago for 38 years, and every leak I ever had, on every car I ever owned, happened in the Winter.

Radiators, heater cores, thermostat housings, valve covers, water pumps, power steering pumps, name it, and they always leaked in the dead of Winter.... Never in the Summer.

Overly thick, difficult to pump fluids, combined with hard, stiff seals and gaskets, in addition to constant contraction and expansion of engine sealing surfaces, all add up to leaks. Not to mention shock absorbers. Every one that I ever had fail back there, failed in the Winter.

Going over rough roads or railroad tracks, or hitting the infamous Chicago pot holes when it's below zero, tears the hell out of the seals in your shocks. Before you know it, they're leaking as well.

Think about it. You start your car when it's -15 F, and 10 minutes later it's above the boiling point. Then shut it off, and in a few hours it's below freezing again.

This process of all but constant expansion and contraction repeats itself all Winter long. It's not too long before the drips start appearing. You can come back with the whole, "engineers design around all of this", but it doesn't change the reality of a much higher failure of gaskets and seals in freezing weather.

I've been living in a warm climate for the last 31 years. And I have yet to address a fluid leak in ANY of my vehicles in that time. Coincidence? I think not.

Freezing Winter weather on a car, is a lot like a bad marriage. You don't realize how bad it is until you get away from it, and compare it to something much better.

 

[JavierH19]

Nothing other than the oled screens in my escalade not working right during the freeze in Texas last year. What ps fluid are you using. Sounds like you're using something a bit thicker. I'd use valv max life since its around 28cst kv40 while ps fluid like prestone is 54cst kv40.

 

[FZ1]

What issue does your vehicle exhibit while trying to endure the (relatively) extreme cold we've seen up in our neck of the woods? For reference, I'm in MN in the Twin Cities area.

While I have to cut the old girl some slack at 240k, my Jeep has developed an annoying habit of spewing power steering fluid from the pump shaft seal when cold along with the radio refusing to power up at anything sub-zero. The radio issue is easy, it was $20 on Amazon. I never expected it to be trouble-free. The power steering, I have to assume it's just old seals + shrinkage. Lets face it, starting a car in -10 to -15 degrees ambient isn't easy regardless of age.

That being said, other than those minor niggles I haven't had a single issue thus far. The heat roasts, the behind warmers keep me toasty warm, and I've not had a single component failure which would render the truck inoperable. Not to shabby for a 20 year old machine!

Could you get a block heater for all that?

 

[billt460]

Could you get a block heater for all that?

Block heaters do help. But they don't heat everything. People in Alaska "Winterize" their entire vehicles. Block heaters, oil pan heaters, battery heater plates all help. But many people who live in apartments, and who are forced to park outside in large parking lots, don't have access to outside electricity. It's a never ending battle in freezing Winter weather.

 

[road_rascal]

No issues with my Toyota leaving work this morning (-17F). I would have put it in our heated garage overnight but the previous shift left a ton of equipment blocking the bay door.

 

[Lapham3]

Minnesota winters are generally warmer in more recent decades. Probably in many other areas, too. 50-60 years ago, it was common to have a couple January weeks of -20s for lows and zero for highs. We'd walk to school and that was just what we did as a normal thing. I've used block heaters for many years.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Also in the twin cities. Not much besides slow cranking, some power steering whine and rough first couple of shifts in the auto.

It was so cold here in upstate NY a few weeks ago that my Grand Marquis sounded like a proper Ford! That power steering pump was singing the song of it's people.

 

[PF52]

I've got my choice of winter beaters.... Cobalt or Impala. 260K or 170K miles. I think it was -8 here this morning so the ol' Impala moaned a little, its power steering fluid probably a bit thick! We really haven't had a cold starting issue here since the last carbourated car left and that was at least 25 years ago.

I should open the garage, remove the car cover and see how my new WRX likes the cold! It hasn't been started since early December.