My daughter is in CT until next weekend when she makes her way back to Minnesota. Her car is parked at a friends house, in the garage but without heat.

Yesterday, she took my wife to a local restaurant about 1 mile away. Seat heaters on, rear defroster on, radio on, blower on, lights on. After a 2 hour meal and lots of laughs, they drove home and parked for the night.

I was called at 0930. Car wouldn't start! Actually, the engine turned over but very slowly. At my urging, she turned off all of the electrics she could find and tried again. Still slow in turning over, and then with a little gas pedal, it started! All was normal.

Moral of the story: When you make a very short trip, don't rob the battery by using heated seats and rear defroster!! The alternator only puts out 14.5V or so, the heated seats and rear defroster use 14V. So the battery was being used to power everything else and slowly draining.

Take it easy in the cold and don't expect instant heat when you drive off. That's why your mothers bought you coats and gloves...

We get our second cold night in MN tonight, around -25F. At least it is warmer here than in International Falls, where it bottomed at -46F.

Klaus
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Always willing to listen, just not able to take direction.