Is a Car Battery Ruined if it Freezes?
Tips & Support
- Sponsor
- OPTIMA Batteries
- Location
- Glendale, WI
Is a car battery ruined if it freezes? Not necessarily. Unfortunately, the answer probably won't come as quickly as you'd like. The first thing you need to know when your car battery freezes is that you should never attempt to jump start or charge your car battery while it is frozen.
Fully-charged batteries typically won't freeze unless temperatures go well below zero for an extended period of time. However, the more discharged a car battery is, the more vulnerable it is to freezing at warmer temperatures all the way up to 32°F- the freezing point of water. If you believe your car battery has frozen, you'll need to remove it from your car. The first thing you should do when you remove the battery is inspect the case for any signs of damage from freezing or impacts or anything else. Anyone who has frozen aluminum cans of soda can tell you what might happen. In batteries, this might manifest itself in cracks in the case or "crazing" where the case becomes discolored from damage.
If your frozen battery is damaged, you should recycle it immediately. If you don't see any physical damage to the battery, you should attempt to thaw it at room temperature (at least 65°F) for at least 24 hours and perhaps even up to 48 hours, depending on the size of the battery, the estimated state of charge, how cold it was and how long the battery was in extremely cold temperatures. Do not attempt to expedite this thawing process with any external heat sources.
Only after the battery has been thawed out, can you determine if it has been ruined. You can measure voltage at the battery terminals and attempt to charge the battery if the voltage doesn't measure at least 12.6 volts. Once you charge a battery to at least 12.6 volts, you can take it to your local auto parts retailer or battery specialist, who can load-test the battery for you and give you a very good idea of the health of the battery. Most will offer this service for free.
One thing you can do to help prevent your battery from becoming frozen is to make sure it is fully-charged to at least 12.6 volts with a quality battery charger or maintainer.
Fully-charged batteries typically won't freeze unless temperatures go well below zero for an extended period of time. However, the more discharged a car battery is, the more vulnerable it is to freezing at warmer temperatures all the way up to 32°F- the freezing point of water. If you believe your car battery has frozen, you'll need to remove it from your car. The first thing you should do when you remove the battery is inspect the case for any signs of damage from freezing or impacts or anything else. Anyone who has frozen aluminum cans of soda can tell you what might happen. In batteries, this might manifest itself in cracks in the case or "crazing" where the case becomes discolored from damage.
If your frozen battery is damaged, you should recycle it immediately. If you don't see any physical damage to the battery, you should attempt to thaw it at room temperature (at least 65°F) for at least 24 hours and perhaps even up to 48 hours, depending on the size of the battery, the estimated state of charge, how cold it was and how long the battery was in extremely cold temperatures. Do not attempt to expedite this thawing process with any external heat sources.
Only after the battery has been thawed out, can you determine if it has been ruined. You can measure voltage at the battery terminals and attempt to charge the battery if the voltage doesn't measure at least 12.6 volts. Once you charge a battery to at least 12.6 volts, you can take it to your local auto parts retailer or battery specialist, who can load-test the battery for you and give you a very good idea of the health of the battery. Most will offer this service for free.
One thing you can do to help prevent your battery from becoming frozen is to make sure it is fully-charged to at least 12.6 volts with a quality battery charger or maintainer.