Hey all, my daughter bought a 2001 accent last summer. Now it's winter and when it's really cold her car wont start. It wont even turn (the starter), but when we push start it and let it warm up then shut it off , it's starts up by turning the key. Why is it when it's cold the starter wont turn, like it's frozen or something. Any idea why it's doing that?

Thanks
Marc

 

A cold engine, especially this time of years, needs to draw a lot more current to start than a warm one. I would start with the basics. For now I would assume it is not a problem with the starter, per se, but with either the battery or the battery cables or (most likely) a combination of the two. I would disconnect the cables from the battery terminals, have the battery tested, and inspect the cables for corrosion (look where the wire is exposed from the insulation). If the battery is weak or has a bad cell, replace it. Replace the cables if they look suspect. If the cables look OK, clean up the connectors before reconnecting to the battery. Make sure all connections are secure.